Boulder police arrested a man who is accused of menacing a police detective and firefighters with an ax while they were investigating a suspicious fire in the 1900 block of Goss Street. The menacing incident occurred at about 5:15 a.m. on Friday, July 17.

Detective Kipp Euler had been called to the scene to assist fire investigators as a result of a fire that was reported earlier in the morning, at about 2:30 a.m. A detached garage burned to the ground, and investigators believed the blaze had been started intentionally. The same garage was set on fire on Sunday, July 12.

While conferring at the scene, the detective and fire marshal noticed a man approaching them with an ax. The suspect was carrying the ax with the blade pointed toward the ground but outward in the direction of police and firefighters. Detective Euler asked the man, "Can I help you?" The man, who was staring vacantly, replied, "Can you help me kill the person inside the garage?" Euler drew his firearm and loudly ordered the suspect to drop the ax. The man did not comply and continued to walk toward the detective and firefighters. Euler ordered him several more times to drop the weapon. Just before Euler was about to fire his gun, the suspect finally put the ax on the ground. At that point, the suspect indicated that he thought Satan was in the garage and was trying to kill him. He was taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect has been identified as Gary Lee Shestak, 48, of Boulder. Shestak lives very close to the garage that caught fire. Based on additional evidence found at the scene, he is being investigated for the arson on Friday morning, as well as two previous fires set on July 12. At this point, he has been booked into the Boulder County Jail on a charge of felony menacing.

No officers or firefighters were injured.