Indiana man ends crime spree by dancing on ex-girlfriend's burning roof

Matthew Russ, a 25-year-old man in Indianapolis, went on a brief crime spree this morning before being detained by police while dancing on the burning roof of his ex-girlfriend’s home.

The spree began when Russ took the keys to his ex-girlfriend’s car and crashed it into a utility pole, destroying a large chunk of it. When the police arrived, local ABC affiliate WRTC explains, “they found Russ in a chair in the driveway holding a knife.”

At that point Russ went into the house, which his ex-girlfriend promptly left, and barricaded himself inside of it. Russ emerged onto the roof, where police fired rubber bullets at him, leading him to go back inside the house.

When police noticed the house was burning, the fire department was called to the scene. FOX 59 reports that police believe Russ started the fire. Russ also appeared on the roof again and began dancing.

WRTC also says police tried to talk Russ off the roof. While he threw his knife down, he didn’t leave the roof.

The police took Russ into custody just before noon after tasing him from an aerial ladder, and the Indianapolis Fire Department put the fire out. Authorities also told WRTC that Russ “is known to have anger issues.” Per FOX 59 he was transported to a hospital after the police apprehended him.

Ethan Chiel is a reporter for Fusion, writing mostly about the internet and technology. You can (and should) email him at [email protected]