Homeless Man Suspected of Arson Near L.A. Kenneth Fire Arrested for Allegedly Using Flamethrower After Residents Step In
OAN Staff James Meyers
9:47 AM – Friday, January 10, 2025
A homeless man has been taken into custody on suspicion of arson near the origin of one of the wildfires devastating Los Angeles. Witnesses reported that residents bravely intervened as he appeared to wield a “flamethrower.”
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According to local residents, the unnamed suspect was seen riding a bicycle in Woodland Hills on Thursday afternoon, deliberately setting fire to discarded Christmas trees and trash cans simultaneously as the Kenneth Fire ignited.
Renata Grinshpun informed KTLA that while in her backyard, she heard a car screech to a halt followed by a man shouting, “Neighbors, he’s trying to start a fire! Call 911!”
She observed the suspect with what appeared to be a large “propane tank or a flamethrower,” while other witnesses described it as a blowtorch, as he attempted to ignite the area.
Neighbors sprang into action, encircling the man as he attempted to escape, as seen in a video, with one bystander yelling: “Put it down!”
“We really came together as a community,” Grinshpun recounted to KTLA. “A few brave men trapped him and got him on his knees. They utilized zip ties and rope for a citizens’ arrest.”
As reported by Fox 11, another witness commented that the suspect was “very intent on proceeding.”
“He kept insisting, ‘I can’t stop. I won’t put this down. I’m doing this,’” the witness reported.
“We were like, ‘That’s unacceptable right now.’”
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed that an arson investigation is underway.
In response to inquiries regarding whether the Kenneth Fire was indeed the work of an arsonist, LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Dinse stated to KTLA at a press conference, “Currently, that’s what we suspect. It’s being treated as a criminal act.”
However, the LAPD later clarified on social media that, “We CANNOT confirm any links between this suspect and the fires at this time.”
No charges appear to have been filed yet.
The Kenneth Fire began around 2:30 p.m., scorching more than 960 acres and continues to wreak havoc in Ventura County with containment still at 0% as of Friday morning.
Initially, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued mandatory evacuation notices for the Hidden Hills area, which were later downgraded to warnings, according to Chief Kristin Crowley in a Thursday evening update.
As of now, at least 20 individuals have been apprehended for looting homes that were vacated due to the devastating wildfires, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Overall, five separate fires erupted on Tuesday morning, collectively annihilating nearly 30,000 acres (47 square miles) in Los Angeles County, leading to widespread destruction and evacuations.
More than 130,000 residents have been forced to evacuate due to the fires.
The most significant fire, the Palisades Fire, has burned close to 20,000 acres along the coast, destroying over 5,000 homes and structures in its wake.
The Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed between 4,000 and 5,000 homes, rapidly expanding to 13,690 acres as of Thursday, officials stated.
The origins of the fires remain uncertain and are under investigation.
At least 10 lives have been lost, with the death toll anticipated to rise.
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