June 20, 2009 — Manhattan
A routine day at NYPD Headquarters became rather less routine when an Unregistered pyrokinetic, whose identity has not been released, lost control of her ability. Two officers were badly burned by the blaze, and several walls were partially consumed before the pyrokinetic was shot and killed by Officer Aude Castalides. Officer Castalides is currently on suspension pending internal review of her actions, but Officer George Lewis, who was also present for the event, attested in an interview that "[Officer Castalides] did the only thing any of us could have done. If the whole building had gone up there would have been a lot more people dead."
According to Officer Lewis, everything was under control until another civilian at the scene, Cole Wright, precipitated a confrontation with officers. The resulting fight apparently disturbed the pyrokinetic enough that she began to generate fire. Wright then proceeded to interfere with attempts to peacefully calm the woman and continued to forcibly resist arrest, the situation escalating until the pyrokinetic lost control of her ability entirely and set the walls ablaze, severely burning two officers and causing minor injury to one other and two civilians before the fires were finally extinguished. The structural damage is expected to be repaired within two months.
"This is a perfect case of why Evolved should take responsibility for themselves and Register their abilities," Officer Lewis stated. "If we have the information on record then we can take steps appropriate for that individual's unique talent and situation. But if we don't know who the person is or what they can do, then we don't know that they're any different from Joe Q. Public until something like this disaster happens. Then we wind up with people injured and dead, and nobody wants that."
Wright is presently under arrest facing several criminal charges.
Marion White
Associated Press