Baltimore's Little Italy arson suspect detained by neighbor until officers arrived, police say
A man was arrested for allegedly setting seven separate fires in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood, according to police.
Kyle Scott, 29, was charged with multiple counts of arson on South Exeter Street, Trinity Street, South Central Avenue, Springs Street and Mince Alley.
Authorities said a citizen detained Scott until police arrived.
Neighbors to the rescue
Anthony DeMarco was one of the first to spot the fires in his neighborhood.
"When you come around the corner, you can't miss that this whole thing was ablaze," DeMarco said. "Plastic bubbling. You can see it was dripping off the sides."
DeMarco and his neighbors jumped into action to put out the flames. DeMarco said the next order of business was finding the culprit.
"I wanna know what the hell happened," DeMarco said. "So, I'm asking questions."
Neighbors caught Scott on camera setting fires and smashing car mirrors. DeMarco said those images gave a good description of the man behind the crimes.
DeMarco grabbed his bike and rode around until he said he found Scott lighting a fire behind Kneads Bakeshop on South Central Avenue. Then, DeMarco started to chase him.
"That turned into another 15-minute excursion through the back of Power Plant, underneath the freeway," DeMarco said. "At one point, I found myself at the police station. I'm kicking the door. I'm trying to slap the windows."
DeMarco said a phone call to a patrol officer led to Scott's arrest.
Neighborhood cameras
Little Italy Neighborhood Association president Lisa Regnante said a camera system funded by state grants played a big role in quickly catching the suspect.
Regnante said she shared the images with community leaders in other neighborhoods who said the same man committed similar crimes in Canton and Brewers Hill.
"In this case, Brant showed us, 'Yes, this person had been in his neighborhood in Brewers Hill,'" Regnante said.
"It's not just one community looking out for itself," said Brewers Hill Neighbors President Brant Fischer. "It spreads throughout the whole district."
Arch McKown, a Southeast Baltimore community leader, said these aren't monitored all the time but will be used as a reactive measure when crime takes place in the area.
"It's empowering neighborhoods to not only be safer but to feel safer," McKown said.
Kyle Scott's arrest
Charging documents said Scott set fires to Christmas decorations, trash cans, dumpsters and a cardboard tent Scott allegedly knew was being used by an individual.
Documents said Scott's actions "demonstrate a deliberate and escalating course of conduct that endangered occupied dwellings, commercial structures, municipal property and the life of an identified victim."
