A boat was set on fire in Bradenton, police say. Teen and two boys arrested
Bradenton police arrested three juveniles Tuesday who they say fired flare guns from the Green Bridge, sparking a fire that engulfed a 45-foot yacht at the Twin Dolphin Marina.
The arrests came after police launched a criminal investigation into the fire, which sent thick smoke over the Riverwalk on Monday afternoon. Police also asked for the public’s help as investigators “quickly determined that the fire likely resulted from a criminal act,” spokesperson Meredith Censullo told the Bradenton Herald Tuesday morning.
Police say a 911 caller reported seeing several juveniles fire something off the Green Bridge moments before the boat caught fire. A second caller also reported witnessing the incident, according to a news release.
Using witness descriptions, detectives say they obtained video from city surveillance cameras along the Riverwalk. The footage appeared to show three juveniles with flare guns shortly before and after the fire began, according to police. They were later identified and questioned with the cooperation of their parents, a news release said.
According to police, the 14-year-old is charged with first-degree arson, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a minor and discharging a firearm in public or on residential property. The 11-year-old and the 12-year-old are each charged with possession of a firearm by a minor and discharging a firearm in public or on residential property. All three were taken to the Manatee Juvenile Detention Center.
The Bradenton Herald does not name juvenile suspects.
The fire was reported around 1:30 p.m. Monday near the Green Bridge and temporarily closed part of the Bradenton Riverwalk, the Bradenton Herald previously reported. No injuries were reported, and the pedestrian walkway reopened later that day.
Photos posted by police on Monday showed a large emergency response and black plumes of smoke rising from a boat docked at the marina. By 2:15 p.m., firefighters appeared to have extinguished the flames.
This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM.
