Queen City News LANCASTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A 12-year-old boy appeared before a judge Monday and pleaded guilty to setting a fire that evacuated the Lancaster Walmart over the weekend whose name is not being released due to his age pleaded guilty during a detention hearing Monday morning in Lancaster County Family Court the child admitted to second-degree arson in connection with the large fire that broke out around 4:35 p.m Lancaster Police Chief Don Roper said he was thankful for a quick response by everyone “While the fire was raging luckily no one was injured,” Roper said but the employees there at Walmart very quickly evacuated the building.” which broke out in the back of the Walmart Fire Chief Justin McLellan said the sprinkler system helped to contain it but because the employees were able to act quickly firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading “[Our crews] were able to make entry real quick and contain that fire right to the origin of where it was so it did not spread any further than where it was located,” McLellan said Judge Matthews ordered a secure mental health evaluation Monday meaning the child will remain in custody while undergoing assessment Officials said the evaluation should happen within the next 45 days A final decision on his sentencing will follow once the results are reviewed the 12-year-old boy could remain in juvenile custody until his 22nd birthday Authorities said the young suspect was identified with the help of surveillance footage and coordination among Lancaster Police A vehicle related to the incident was located the same evening Chief Don Roper commended the fast investigative work “We will not tolerate anyone placing the community in danger with criminal behavior.” Fire Chief Justin McLellan praised firefighters and Walmart staff for their quick action in minimizing damage and ensuring safety “We’re thankful no one was injured and appreciate the swift action from first responders.” Walmart remains closed until further notice anyone with pharmacy needs is being directed to the Indian Land location at 10048 Charlotte Hwy Police have upped patrols in the area and are working with Walmart to help it reopen Anyone with further information is asked to contact Lancaster Police at 803-283-3313 This is the same Walmart where multiple people were charged for a shooting there on April 1. This is a Developing Story. Check back for updates Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. According to Babycenter, these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025. Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career, show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift. National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5. If you’re a teacher, take advantage of these freebies and deals! LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of a 2-alarm fire that destroyed a home in Ephrata Saturday night. Dispatch confirmed the fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. in the 300 block of Millway Road in West Earl Township. The West Earl Fire Department posted an update on the fire online, confirming nobody was home at the time. Fire crews were on scene for several hours battling the flames. We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time. For any issues, e-mail us at customerservice@lnpnews.com or call us at 717-291-8611. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A Lancaster city man died after a two-vehicle crash in East Lampeter Township late Saturday. The coroner identified the deceased as 72-year-old R. Timothy Groff. Emergency dispatchers confirmed the wreck happened at the intersection of Willow and Horseshoe Road around 10 p.m. Saturday. According to the coroner's release, the crash involved an SUV and sedan. Groff was pronounced dead at approximately 12:57 a.m. Sunday, the coroner's office said. An autopsy performed Monday found his cause of death to be multiple traumatic injuries, and his manner of death was ruled an accident. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Rollover wreck injures 2 Lancaster residents — Two northeast Missouri residents were injured when the minivan they were in crashed and rolled over the weekend The one-vehicle wreck happened just after 12:15 p.m Missouri state troopers say the minivan was driven by an unnamed 77-year-old man from Lancaster The van ran off the right side of the roadway and overturned He was flown to University Hospital in Columbia She was taken by ambulance to Scotland County Hospital in Memphis According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's online crash report, both people were wearing a seat belt Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLANCASTER (WBTV) - A fire inside a South Carolina Walmart was purposely set by a 12-year-old boy on Sunday afternoon at the Walmart on the Highway 9 bypass in Lancaster Lancaster police said the fire department made it to the store within two minutes of it first being reported and quickly put the flames out The store was evacuated and within 10 minutes firefighters deemed the building secure The Lancaster fire chief said firefighters’ “swift” response “significantly minimized damage to the property.” Police said that nobody was hurt and that after a multi-agency investigation that included local and state authorities the fire was determined to have been arson Investigators identified and detained the 12-year-old judicial officials said the boy pleaded guilty to second-degree arson and will remain in custody until a mental evaluation is completed “I am thankful no one was injured during the incident,” Lancaster Police Chief Don Roper said “Our investigators did a great job in quickly developing a suspect Our citizens should know that resolving incidents like this is a top priority and we will use all of our resources and partnerships to take suspects into custody without delay We will not tolerate anyone placing the community in danger with criminal behavior.” The same Walmart was the location of an indoor shootout on April 1 that left two people hurt and resulted in several arrests Police said shortly after the shooting that they believed it was gang-related and that no bystanders were injured Anyone with information about Sunday afternoon’s fire should call the Lancaster Police Department at 803-283-3313 or the Lancaster Fire Department at 803-283-4385 Also Read: Ankle monitor data links man to South Carolina pharmacy break-in LANCASTER CO, Pa. (WHP) — A man is being accused of dealing cocaine after the Lancaster County Drug Task Force reportedly seized cocaine, crack, and cash from his property. Clifford Whitehead, 45, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and use or possession of drug paraphernalia after detectives began their investigation in February. Undercover officers and confidential informants allegedly purchased cocaine from Whitehead at his residence on the 600 block of East Madison Street, using funds provided by the task force. With assistance from the Attorney General's Office and Pennsylvania State Police, the drug task force executed a search warrant at his home and in his vehicle on April 16. Officers said they recovered 36 grams of cocaine powder, 83.5 grams of crack cocaine, and over $5,000 in cash. This, plus paraphernalia found resulted in Whitehead's arrest during the search. Of the cash seized, $360 was from the drug task force's pre-recorded buy funds. Whitehead is currently free on $150,000 unsecured bail, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney. Print Lancaster mayor’s solution for homelessness: ‘Give them free fentanyl’ and a federal ‘purge.’ Political opponents call for a recall election has ignited a controversy after musing during a council meeting that one approach to homelessness would be to “give them free fentanyl … all the fentanyl they want.” Parris, a larger-than-life trial lawyer, made the incendiary comments about the drug — responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths — during a February City Council meeting in a retort to a resident who objected to his musings of congregating unhoused residents into an “encampment.” It wasn’t until Parris doubled down on his remarks during an interview with Fox LA that his statements went viral provoking ire far beyond the high desert city He said that he didn’t think anyone had taken his comments literally he said he wished for “a purge” of homeless people A homeless encampment in Lancaster where those on the street often face extreme heat Chun / Los Angeles Times) “I made it very clear I was talking about the criminal element that were let out of the prisons that have now become 40 to 45% of what’s referred to as the homeless population,” he said “They are responsible for most of our robberies and at least half of our murders,” he said without providing evidence to back up those assertions I wish the president would give us a purge But it is my obligation as the mayor of the city of Lancaster to protect the hardworking families that live here Parris did not respond to a request for comment from The Times His political opponents say they are outraged “Anyone willing to give homeless people all the fentanyl they want or to suggest that President Trump should allow a purge of the homeless population has no business in public office,” said Johnathon Ervin a Democrat who challenged and lost to Parris in last year’s mayoral election Ervin has now banded together with the third-place winner in that contest Parris has been a fixture in Lancaster for decades first as a trial lawyer and civic leader and for the last 15 years as its mayor which sits in the Mojave Desert in northern Los Angeles County According to figures from the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, reported in the Antelope Valley Press, there were 6,672 people experiencing homelessness in 2024 That includes the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale Lancaster residents have become accustomed to a mayor with proposals that are often grand In 2013, he made headlines when, in an effort to woo Chinese investment, he talked of opening a trade office in Beijing and building a Buddhist temple in his desert town In 2018, he was back in the news for a proposal to make neckties optional among workers in the city citing studies that they diminish blood flow to the brain He’s also long been a voice for law and order and many in his city have taken a dim view of homelessness At the time, Parris said the city had done more than its share to serve its homeless population. He also said that he was “trying to create an environment where people who are disabled can thrive” and that he was “not going to just let people live wherever they want, camp where they want, extort money from people who are shopping.” California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at customerservice@lnpnews.com or call us at 717-291-8611 (WHP) — A Lancaster man is facing multiple charges after police say he burglarized a church while "completely nude," according to Lancaster Township Police was arrested on multiple charges including burglary possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia following an incident on April 29 Police say that officers responded to the 1000 block of E King Street on reports of an active burglary around 11:36a.m Officials on scene located Calderwood who was seen breaking into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while "completely nude and under the influence of methamphetamine." Calderwood remains in Lancaster County Prison awaiting a May 19 preliminary hearing (WHP) — A deceased male has been found by police after an extensive search detail in Lancaster County according to the Lancaster County Coroner's Office Officials state that a deceased male was found near a rail trail at the intersection of Landisville Road and Spooky Nook Road in East Hempfield Township The coroner states that it appears that the man died by suicide East Hempfield Police is the primary police agency on scene The search detail was initiated around 4:00p.m (WHP) — Police in Lancaster have filed charges against a man in connection to a 2013 cold case where a man was murdered after a robbery gone wrong and robbery over 12 years after Allan Hess was found stabbed to death inside a city apartment on January 7 Hess' body was found inside the apartment on the 200 block of West Walnut Street and the case has been ongoing ever since Items collected from the scene were submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Forensic Services for DNA testing and the analysis report came back with a possible suspect Special agents with the Attorney General's Office and other detectives interviewed Jones who is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges Jones reportedly admitted to stabbing Hess a few days before the body was found in January of 2013 He allegedly claimed he entered the apartment and was confronted by Hess while he was attempting to steal a television and Jones reportedly admitted to stabbing Hess before stealing the TV and fleeing the scene