Ithaca (WSYR-TV) - The ante is being raised to find whoever played a role in burning down an Ithaca Police sergeant's home earlier this summer while he and his family were inside.
An anonymous citizen is offering to double the reward fund to $20,000 for information on the fire that destroyed Sgt. Bryan Bangs home. State Police believe the fire was intentionally set, but have made no arrests.
The entire law enforcement community is working to see someone is brought to justice for the attack.
What remains of Bangs' house still stands, gutted and charred. The fire rattled not only the police force, but the community as a whole.
Less than two weeks before the fire, Sgt. Bangs had been cleared of any wrong doing in the February shooting death of a drug suspect in Ithaca. Several months after the incident, there have been no arrests and there is a renewed effort to catch whoever ignited the fire.
"This is about working with you, working with the public, working with ipd to get answers to this and find the people responsible for this terrible crime," said Tompkins County Sheriff Peter Meskill.
Both the County Sheriff and Ithaca Police Chief Ed Vallely hope the $20,000 will finally be enough to motivate someone to come forward on the incident. "It'd be nice if people would come forward with information without a reward, certainly $20,000 is a significant amount of money, the person coming forward with the information, number one, they would be doing the right thing and, number two, they can realize some financial gain," said Vallely.
Sheriff Peter Meskill said that the both agencies are working closely to find the alleged arsonist. "We work closely with each other in a teamwork fashion, so when it affects one police officer in this county it affects all of us," he said.
Anyone with information about the fire is urged to call State Police in Ithaca at (607) 347-4440.
PBA in Ithaca offers reward for arson information
Sept. 22
Ithaca (WSYR-TV) - The Police Benevolent Association in Ithaca is now offering a $10,000 reward for information in the July arson at the home of a police officer.
The fire destroyed the home of Sgt. Bryan Bangs. He escaped the fire without injury. Just days before the fire, Sgt. Bangs had been cleared by a grand jury in the shooting death of a drug suspect last winter.
Investigators are looking for a link between that incident and the arson, and anyone with information can call State Police at (607) 347-4440.
Community rallies around police sergeant's burned home
July 14
Dryden (WSYR-TV) - It was a remarkable scene at the charred house of Ithaca Police Sergeant Bryan Bangs Wednesday.
As investigators search for whoever deliberately set the house on fire over the weekend, dozens of people came together for a massive cleanup and salvage operation.
Bangs was cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a drug suspect during a bust just a week before his house was burned. While he and his family escaped the fire, the house is a total loss. Volunteers Wednesday collected recognizable, but scorched, family pictures and separated them from the rest of the rubble.
They didn't dwell on it, but everyone who came out today to help - police, firefighters, emergency personnel, and others all knew what happened at Bangs' home and they also understood why it was so important to get this place cleaned out and shored up.
"You're not going to do it with a couple people," said volunteer Chris Cooper.
And they didn't have to, dozens showed up to get the home in good enough shape for Bryan Bangs his wife and young son to make one last walk through their house, if they want to.
"It's hard work, we work a little bit and we take a break and everybody gets reprieved and not tired, nobody gets hurt," Cooper said. "That's it, unless you can get me another dumpster right now that's my concern right now."
They sure have been working hard and fast too, they were able to fill a dumpster with debris in less than two hours.
"These guys don't want to be anywhere else and they'll leave here and they'll shower and they'll put their uniform on and they'll go right back to helping the rest of the community," said Eric Cleaveland, a family friend.
Community was a word used a lot more than once on Wednesday as many people stepped up in the face of the ruthless attack on a police officer as he slept at home.
"Well, it's all part of life's experiences and they're not all good as we know, but you make good out of it and this family will do exactly that," Cleaveland.
As the family starts to walk down the long road of rebuilding, it is clear they have an abundance of support.
Meanwhile, State Police continue to investigate but have not made any arrests yet in the case.
Police: Fire at Ithaca officer's home was arson
July 13
Ithaca (WSYR-TV) - State Police have determined that a fire set at an Ithaca Police officer's home in Tompkins County was arson.
According to the State Police, the agency investigating, a Saturday morning fire at the Tompkins County home of Sgt. Bryan Bangs was "incendiary in nature and an intentional act of arson." The house was damaged substantially by fire and Bangs was admitted to the Cayuga Medical Center due to minor smoke inhalation.
"The attack on Sgt. Bangs was a despicable, unconscionable act. I cannot think of many things more reprehensible than what was done to Sgt Bangs," said Ithaca Police Chief Ed Vallely.
The Mayor of Ithaca, Carolyn Peterson agrees. "This very frightening and shocking event has no place in our community. It's a deplorable act that is being investigated thoroughly," she said.
Bangs had recently been cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a drug suspect in Ithaca. In February, grand jury in Tompkins County determined that Bangs' use of deadly force when he shot and 29-year-old Shawn Greenwood at an Ithaca liquor store was justified. Greenwood had resisted arrest and tried to run down two officers with his car. The case has not been connected to the fire, but Chief Vallely says it is likely being considered by State Police.
Leon Hunt, A neighbor who lives on Etna Road, says that he feels a sense of uneasiness caused by seeing the Sergeant's home attacked. "Its kind of a scary thing. The cops are out there for your protection, and now they're trying to do something to the cops its not right."
"An attack on any police officer is an attack on all police officers, and the entire law enforcement community will work on this investigation until the person or persons responsible are identified, arrested and brought before a court to answer for what they have done," said Chief Vallely.
Suspicious fire at Ithaca police officer's home
July 10
DRYDEN, NY (WSYR-TV) – An early morning fire has caused extensive damage to an Ithaca police officer’s home. State Police say the fire started at Sgt. Bryan Bangs’ home around 4 a.m. Bangs had recently been cleared of any wrong doing in the February shooting death of a drug suspect in Ithaca.
Bangs was alone inside his home at 60 Etna Road in the Town of Dryden at the time of the fire. He suffered minor smoke inhalation and was taken to Cayuga Medical Center. He has since been released.
Last week, a grand jury found no basis for criminal charges against Bangs for the February shooting death of a drug suspect in Ithaca.
During that incident, Bangs shot and killed 29-year-old Shawn Greenwood outside Pete's Wine and Liquor Store on West Buffalo Street. The shooting happened after Greenwood refused to surrender to a search warrant detail and struck another police officer with his car while attempting to flee the scene.
The grand jury determined that Sgt. Bangs was justified in using deadly force.
Saturday morning’s fire is still under investigation. At this point state police investigators say it’s suspicious and may be linked to the recent grand jury findings.
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