Police identify victim in suspected north-side arson and homicide

Alan Hovorka | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee police on Saturday identified the 72-year-old man who died in a fire at a north-side rooming house on Friday as Willie O. Greer. Police are investigating the incident as an arson and homicide and are seeking a female suspect.

Witnesses said a woman smashed several windows of the house near W. Wright and N. 12th Street, poured what appeared to be gasoline inside and set it on fire around 7:30 p.m. Friday.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, the first floor fully engulfed in flames. Once inside the burning house, emergency responders found the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Facebook Live video posted on Friday, which has since been deleted, corroborates the witness accounts. It also shows some of the witnesses rushing to try to help the man trapped in the burning house. One witness said the woman asked them for a lighter to ignite the fire, but they refused.

Officials at the scene said they would not comment on the witness accounts.

A firefighter was injured when he was hit in the head by an unknown object while fighting the fire. He was conscious and taken to a hospital.