One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
LAPD Chief on Arson Arrest: "We are very confident we found our man.''
A bit more information is coming to light about the man the Los Angeles Police Department say is a "person of interest" arrested overnight in conjunction with the estimated 55 arson fires set in L.A. over the past four days. Participating in the Rose Parade as part of the LAPD equestrian unit, Chief Charlie Beck shared with the press that he believes his officers took in the arsonist."I feel very good that we've got the right guy. [The suspect] had the right stuff in his van, and we are very confident we found our man," said Beck, according to City News Service.
The identity of the man arrested has not been revealed, however it has been reported he was driving a van with license plates from British Columbia, Canada. According to Fox11 News, he may be a German national whose mother may have been deported, a detail that has led some to believe that could be possible motivation for the arson spree.
The suspect in custody is said to "resemble" the man seen in a video released by the LAPD of the person they believe is responsible in at least some part for the fires. That person is a white man with a pony tail.