Police in San Diego are seeking an arsonist who torched several vehicles and also set fire to a gate keypad Monday night at the city’s Fox affiliate station.
KSWB-TV reported its location in the Kearny Mesa area of the city was targeted by a man with what appeared to be a blowtorch and a backpack whose face was not covered.
Arson suspected after cars in FOX 5 parking lot set on fire https://t.co/2iaEdC2p7I
— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) February 27, 2024
KSWB shared a video of the fiery attack on the station during an early Tuesday morning newscast.
#DEVELOPING @SDFD is looking for an arson suspect to set fire to several vehicles and property at @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/hdBlMYb7Lw
— ELIZABETH ALVAREZ (@ealvareznews) February 27, 2024
Video showed the man first went after the gate pad in the parking lot, which he apparently destroyed.
Eventually, he made his way into the station’s parking lot, where he then targeted vehicles that presumably belonged to the station and its employees.
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In total, three vehicles were set ablaze by the unidentified man.
KSWB’s video showed station employees using fire extinguishers to put out the fires, which it said began around 9:30 p.m. local time.
It was not known how long the man was on the property or in which direction he headed.
No one was reported to have been injured, nor was the building itself damaged.
Arson investigators with the San Diego Fire Department arrived on the scene and remained there for several hours on Monday night, KSWB reported.
The San Diego Police Department is also conducting an investigation.
Police had not commented on the investigation as of Tuesday morning.
KSWB is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which — with a portfolio of more than 200 stations in 116 markets — is the largest local media conglomerate in the United States.
