A 25-year-old man set fire to his ex-girlfriend's house on Monday (19 October) then danced on the roof as it went up in smoke, according to police in Indianapolis, Indiana. They said they were called to the scene around 10.30am local time.

The suspect, who was identified by CNN as Matthew Russ, had allegedly crashed his ex-girlfriend's car into a utility pole and two fences. Afterwards, police said he sat in a lawn chair in the driveway holding a large butcher knife before escaping inside the house. Once they saw smoke billowing overhead, the officers called in fire and SWAT teams who tried to save Russ from the burning house.

"IFD (Indianapolis Fire Department) attempted to get a ladder to him. He kicked that ladder away at least twice that I saw, and he made several bizarre statements," said Sergeant Kendale Adams.

Eventually, the suspect emerged from a second story window onto the roof of the house, where he danced and taunted police. Concerned for Russ' safety, police reportedly used a taser and shot rubber bullets to incapacitate him. He was then taken into custody.

Police said that no one was injured during the ordeal and that Russ' ex-girlfriend had left the home before it was set on fire. Russ was taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to local media.

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