Citizens help arrest suspect on suspicion of arson near LA’s Kenneth Fire

Jan 10

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

A suspect was arrested for arson in connection with at least one of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. It’s all thanks to a group of residents trying to protect their neighborhood.

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Crews started battling flames from the Kenneth Fire near homes in Calabasas and the West Hills, northwest of LA Thursday, Jan. 9. It’s the latest of five wildfires now spreading through the region.

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Police responded to the area about 20 to 30 minutes after the Kenneth Fire began, on reports of a man attempting to light a fire.

Video taken by a resident posted to social media shows a man being handcuffed at the scene.

The resident said one of her neighbors spotted him behind a van trying to ignite a blow torch, when another neighbor stopped his car in the middle of the road yelling for help. That’s when she said the whole neighborhood ran out and detained him with zip ties and rope until police got there.

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LA radio station KFI AM also posted a photo of the alleged suspect that showed what appears to be the blow torch on top of the police car next to him.

BREAKING: ⁦@KFIAM640⁩ ⁦@DebraMark1⁩ says this man was arrested for apparently starting fires in Woodland Hills area. We are awaiting confirmation. Note the possible torch on hood of car. LISTEN LIVE we are talking w her now. pic.twitter.com/Nsahmq2ZZJ
— Tim Conway Jr Show (@ConwayShow) January 10, 2025

Police haven’t released the suspect’s name or confirmed whether he was responsible or had any connection with the current wildfires.

As of Friday, Jan 10, the Kenneth Fire was 35% contained.

Meanwhile, more arson situations have been caught on camera, with people lighting fires across LA area streets bringing attention to the city’s crime and homeless issues.

Podcaster and Stanford professor Andrew Schuberman got a video of what appears to be arsonists in dark clothing, setting a fire in Santa Monica. He said crews were able to put the flames out before it got worse.

People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. Saw this happen first hand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica. Called it in & fire dept & police responded. Stay safe and call in any activity ASAP. We don’t need more flames out here. pic.twitter.com/AZ4GLr6N3q
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) January 9, 2025

In 2023, City Journal reported that the LA Fire Department spent approximately $427 million on homeless-related fires.

Tags: building fire, California, disaster, Los Angeles, Police, Police officers, Wildfire

[Craig Nigrelli]

A SUSPECT IS NOW IN CUSTODY FOR ARSON IN CONNECTION WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THE WILDFIRES IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA – AND IT’S ALL THANKS TO A GROUP OF RESIDENTS TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

CREWS STARTED BATTLING FLAMES FROM THE KENNETH FIRE NEAR HOMES IN CALABASAS AND THE WEST HILLS – NORTHWEST OF L-A … THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

IT’S THE LATEST OF FIVE WILDFIRES NOW SPREADING THROUGH THE REGION.

POLICE RESPONDED TO THE AREA ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES AFTER THE KENNETH FIRE BEGAN … ON REPORTS OF A MAN ATTEMPTING TO LIGHT A FIRE.

VIDEO TAKEN BY A RESIDENT POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWS A MAN BEING HANDCUFFED AT THE SCENE.

THE RESIDENT SAYS ONE OF HER NEIGHBORS SPOTTED HIM BEHIND A VAN TRYING TO IGNITE A BLOW TORCH … WHEN ANOTHER NEIGHBOR STOPPED HIS CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD YELLING FOR HELP.

THAT’S WHEN SHE SAYS THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD RAN OUT AND DETAINED HIM WITH ZIP TIES AND ROPE UNTIL POLICE GOT THERE.

We were just so happy that law enforcement came so quickly … they came from all sides just in case he tried to get away.. It really was a valiant effort .. they really did their due diligence and I hope detectives can put this case to rest

L-A RADIO STATION “K-F-I-A-M” ALSO POSTED A PHOTO OF THE ALLEGED SUSPECT THAT SHOWED WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE BLOW TORCH ON TOP OF THE POLICE CARE NEXT TO HIM.

POLICE HAVEN’T RELEASED THE SUSPECT’S NAME OR CONFIRMED WHETHER HE WAS RESPONSIBLE OR HAD ANY CONNECTION WITH THE CURRENT WILDFIRES.

AS OF FRIDAY MORNING, THE KENNETH FIRE IS 35 PERCENT CONTAINED.

MEANWHILE, MORE ARSON SITUATIONS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT ON CAMERA … WITH PEOPLE LIGHTING FIRES ACROSS L-A AREA STREETS … BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE CITY’S CRIME AND HOMELESS ISSUES.

PODCASTER AND STANFORD PROFESSOR ANDREW HUBERMAN GOT THIS VIDEO OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE ARSONISTS IN DARK CLOTHING SETTING A FIRE IN SANTA MONICA.

HE SAYS CREWS WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT BEFORE IT GOT WORSE.

IN 20-23, CITY JOURNAL REPORTED THE L-A FIRE DEPARTMENT SPENT APPROXIMATELY 427 MILLION DOLLARS ON HOMELESS-RELATED FIRES.

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