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The man charged with first-degree murder in the deadly fire at an Overbrook apartment building on May 2 has a history of arson and other criminal offences, according to his court record.
Saeed Osman Mohamed, 42, was initially charged with three counts of attempted murder after two children and a woman suffered severe smoke inhalation and other injuries in the early morning fire at 1244 Donald St., an apartment complex known as Capital Towers.
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One charge was upgraded to first-degree murder after three-year-old Karima Moustapha died nine days after the fire, according to police.
Mohamed was also charged with arson with disregard for human life, two counts of arson causing bodily harm and arson causing property damage.
Mohamed was out on bail at the time of the alleged arson, according to his court record. He was released from custody on Jan. 9, five days after being charged with assaulting a woman.
Mohamed also has a prior conviction for arson with disregard for human life related to two fires that were deliberately set in January and March, 2016.
He was found guilty of arson following his trial and was sentenced to two years in October 2018 by Ontario Court Justice Mitch Hoffman. The judge also imposed a three-year probation period at the time.
The Donald Street fire earlier this month forced the evacuation of more than 200 residents living on the first four floors. Six people were treated on scene and five others were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The 56 people who live in 16 units on the third floor — where the fire started — are expected to be out of their homes for some time while those units are repaired.
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