The Kenneth fire arson suspect was caught by Los Angeles locals before being arrested by police on Thursday, January 9. Before the suspected arsonist could ignite a new blaze, citizens saw him with what looked like a “flamethrower” and detained him by force. As of Friday morning at 9:14 AM PT, the Kenneth blaze continues to burn in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Cal Fire reports that it has stretched over 1,000 acres and has 35% containment. Here’s how LA residents captured the Kenneth fire suspect in a citizens’ arrest.
How was the alleged Kenneth fire arsonist arrested?
LA locals caught the Kenneth fire arson suspect on Ybarra Road in the Woodland Hills area and bound him by his wrists with zip ties and ropes before he was arrested by police about 20 minutes later at 4:30 PM PT, per KTLA 5.
Renata Grinshpun, a witness to the incident, said, “We were sitting in the backyard and suddenly, we hear a car come to a screeching halt and the guy is running out saying, ‘Stop! Drop what you’re holding! Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!'”
As reported by The Independent, she says arson suspect had “a propane tank,” some “big yellow tank, like a flamethrower basically,” and that “a neighbor said he saw the guy behind a van, trying to light something on fire.”
The commotion caused neighbors in the area to corner the suspect, holding him down until law enforcement could arrive. Grinshpun recounts that “a few gentleman surrounded him and got him on his knees. They got some zip ties, a rope and we were able to do a citizens’ arrest.” She also says that her “mom ran out in a bathrobe ready to fight that guy.”
The suspect, a man believed to be in his mid-20s and speaks Spanish as his first language, claimed that he was using a blowtorch “to smoke marijuana” because he “couldn’t afford a lighter.” The LAPD has not yet released the name or a photo of the suspect, but an image of the arrest with him in police custody was posted on Citizen.com.
LAPD senior officer Sean Dinse, in an initial statement to KTLA 5, said that they believed the Kenneth fire was purposefully set. Investigators do not yet know that suspect’s motives for starting the fire.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said to NewsNation that the charge against the suspected arsonist could be as high as homicide, and that “the maximum punishment will be sought.”
