Just before 9:00 am on June 11, the Grand Junction Police and Fire Departments were at the area of Riverfront Trail and 25 Road. GJPD officers responded to a report of a man with a gun in the area. After they got to the scene, they tried to contact the man, later identified at 65-year-old Celestino Marquez. Marquez told officers he had a gun and knife, and threatened to shoot them. According to GJPD, Marquez refused to cooperate and started setting multiple fires in the area.
GJPD and GJFD both worked together to help contain the situation. โWe have a great partnership with the Grand Junction Police Department. We respond to calls daily together. If itโs a medical call or a rescue or in this case a fire, our crews can respond to provide support and resolve these situations together,โ said Dirk Clingman, the Community Outreach Specialist for GJFD.
In the area of the incident, GJFD used things like drones to get information about the fire, and water pumps to get water from the Colorado River. โAs a fire department, itโs imperative we keep up with technology because it is very, very helpful. Not only do we have a drone, but PD was utilizing a drone today to locate all those areas and provide support to our personnel, making sure they stay safe,โ said Clingman.
GJPD said no shots were fired during the incident. Marquez was arrested and booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility on multiple warrants and other charges. Those charges include First Degree Assault and various arson charges. GJFD said the fire was extinguished, and it isnโt a problem going forward.
