By Gabriela Resto-Montero & Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter / Producers
MANHATTAN — A copycat arsonist at Stuyvesant High School has picked up where another student accused of setting fires left off, with the added twist of taunting the FDNY, sources told the Daily News.
Two fires were set in trash cans last week after the school supended a 16-year-old junior in connection with nine restroom fires that were set the week before, the News reported.
The new arsonist left two notes, one that appeared to be written in hieroglyphics, and another that said, "I'm smart enough — you can't catch me," according to the paper.
Students at Stuyvesant — who DNAinfo is not identifying — said they were tired of all the fire alarms.
"A lot of my classmates are really frustrated right now because at first it was, OK, we got to skip some class time," one student told DNAinfo. "It's just becoming annoying right now."
The student's classmate agreed.
"It's kind of ridiculous that people keep starting these fires because it's going to effect everyone, and it keeps taking away our privileges and our class time," another student said. "People don't even beleive it's real anymore."
Stuyvesant is one of the most elite public schools in Manhattan. Every year, 20,000 students around the city vie for 800 slots.
Mohammed Hassan was arrested Nov. 20 after officials said they obtained footage of him setting fires in bathrooms, a hallway and a stairwell, the News reported. He was released on $2,500 bail.
The student's father, also named Mohammed Hassan, told the News that the authorities singled out his son unfairly, and the new fires prove his innocence.
No one was hurt in the fires.
