Man arrested for suspected arson at FOX 5 makes first courtroom look

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A person was arrested Wednesday morning in connection to the autos set on fireplace on the FOX 5 station in Kearny Mesa earlier this week, San Diego police confirmed.

The suspect — 41-year-old Dimitrius Cannon — made his first courtroom look Friday, pleading not responsible. The decide ordered the media to not present the suspect’s face.

Cannon is going through six prices of felony arson.

Investigators say he’s the person seen in surveillance video (above) outdoors the FOX 5 constructing final Monday evening.

Simply after 9:30 P.M., video exhibits a person unsuccessfully utilizing paper and a planter to try to begin a fireplace outdoors the constructing’s entrance door. He then goes round to a parking gate and appeared to make use of an aerosol can and a lighter to blow torch a keypad.

After that, the suspect went again out to the entrance car parking zone and set fireplace to 3 autos belonging to staff. One car was fully destroyed.

Prosecutors say a witness strolling to his car parked close by noticed what was happening and referred to as 9-1-1.

“He moreover believed that the defendant was holding what he believed to be both an aerosol can or a do-it-yourself flamethrower, stated Deputy District Lawyer Seralyn Fields throughout Friday’s listening to. “The reporting social gathering even noticed the flames getting greater and larger.”

“…As he left, he noticed that it regarded just like the defendant stuffed a rag inside a fuel tank of a car after which lit that on fireplace,” Fields continued.

Startled FOX 5 staff observed the fires moments later, prompting a few them to seize extinguishers to place out the flames as firefighters arrived on-scene.

Then Wednesday morning, prosecutors say somebody who noticed the FOX 5 story noticed Cannon alongside Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and referred to as police.

“The suspect was famous to be sporting the identical pants, sweatshirt and sneakers as the person scene from two days prior of the arson incident,” stated Fields. “And likewise was discovered with two lighters on him. He was additionally discovered with a weapon — sure, the bb gun.”

Police arrested Cannon, who’s homeless and was on parole for a theft at a sporting items retailer again in 2021. He additionally has 15 priors for failing to look in courtroom and he was denied bail.

If discovered responsible, Cannon might rise up to 23 years in jail.