Peter Kay, 40, said he was determined to do “whatever it took” to stop the spread of more fires that threatened to engulf their neighborhood.
Kay was the first to notice a suspicious figure carrying a blowtorch and rummaging near his bins on Thursday afternoon. Acting quickly, he pursued the individual in his white Mercedes, eventually spotting him attempting to ignite a fire near another property.
Shouting for assistance, Kay rallied neighbors, who poured out of their homes to help. Together, they subdued the man, forcing him to the ground and restraining him with zip ties while they called 911 and waited for police to arrive.
The dramatic incident unfolded as wildfires devastated the surrounding areas, destroying approximately 10,000 buildings and claiming 11 lives over several days.
The reason behind these fires is still unknown. Anxiety is rampant in Los Angeles neighborhoods, fueled by fears that arsonists may be behind the devastating infernos.
Tens of thousands remain under evacuation orders, while countless families keep their most cherished possessions packed and ready in case they must flee at a moment’s notice.
A curfew was imposed Friday night in areas surrounding the Palisades and Eaton fires after authorities arrested nearly two dozen looters targeting abandoned properties.
Peter Kay, a father of three, recounted his first encounter with the suspect, describing how he spotted the man near garden waste bins, armed with what appeared to be a blowtorch. “It was shocking to see someone like that in the middle of such devastation,” Kay said.
“The first thing that came to my mind is, I need to grab that from him, because this guy may not be mentally all there, and he might do something unintentionally.”
The man tried to get away on his bike, Kay chased after him.
Minutes later, neighbor Ralph Cavallaro, 56, spotted the same man lingering outside his home, holding an object while inspecting a wheelie bin containing an old Christmas tree.
Shortly after, Peter Kay sped around the corner and stopped to ask Cavallaro which direction the man had gone. Determined to intervene, Kay accelerated in pursuit, eventually catching up with the suspect. Acting swiftly, he pulled his car in front of the man, blocking his path and preventing his escape.
“He was standing next to trash cans filled with brush and leaves and he started running … I started grabbing him but I didn’t want him to burn my face so I kept a distance and shouted at him to put that down, and he wasn’t willing to,” he said.
Since he needed backup help, Mr. Kay started shouting about this man trying to start everything in their area on fire. Neighbors rushed out to help.
“I heard Peter yelling, and I heard there was a gentleman with the blowtorch right there,” a neighbor said.
As the suspect became distracted by Mr. Sumner, Peter Kay seized the opportunity to grab his right arm. Another neighbor quickly intervened, tripping the man to the ground. Acting swiftly, Mr. Sumner retrieved cable ties from his garage, and together they restrained the suspect until the police arrived.
Within five minutes, eight police cars, including units with arson detectives, arrived at the scene. The officers took the suspect into custody for questioning.
Per The Telegraph, Dominic Choi, divisional chief of the LAPD, later stated that the suspect would not face arson charges due to a lack of sufficient probable cause. However, the man was arrested for violating the terms of his felony probation.
