LA residents chase down, stop possible arson suspect: ‘Wrong neighborhood, buddy’

The Brief

• Concerned residents in Chatsworth, California, tackled and performed a citizen’s arrest on suspected arsonist Alejandro Martinez after a nearby brush fire.

• LA County Sheriff’s deputies arrived quickly, and Martinez, who was found with a lighter, is set to appear in court on February 5, 2025.

LOS ANGELES – A suspected arsonist had no chance of escaping justice when concerned residents took action, tackling him to the ground and performing a citizen’s arrest in Chatsworth, California.

Brandon Taylor, a photographer with Traffic News LA, captured the intense moment. “It’s one of those moments where you’re filming, and you’re like, ‘Wait, is this really happening in real life right now?'” he said.

Within seconds, LA County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and took over the situation. The suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Alejandro Martinez, could be heard protesting in Spanish: “No he robado nada, en serio” — “I haven’t stolen anything, seriously.” But theft wasn’t what had the residents concerned.

Taylor, who had responded to a small brush fire earlier that day, noticed Martinez behaving suspiciously nearby. The fire had ignited around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 3, in the 24,000 block of Woolsey Canyon Road and was quickly extinguished by firefighters. However, the presence of Martinez in the brush, clad in black and appearing to ignite something, raised alarms.

“It just seemed a little strange that there was a guy there after a brush fire was reported just a quarter-mile up the road,” Taylor explained. “And he’s in the bush doing something.”

When deputies searched Martinez, they found a lighter in his pocket, a small sum of cash, and a car battery jumper kit. Given the devastating history of wildfires in the area, including the Woolsey Fire, residents did not hesitate to subdue him.

“The residents were furious,” Taylor added. “They’ve gone through the Woolsey Fire, which started just a mile from there. With all the dry vegetation, they were really concerned about him starting another fire and losing their homes.”

As Martinez lay on the ground, one resident could be heard declaring: “Wrong neighborhood, buddy! Wrong neighborhood!”

Martinez is set to appear in court on Wednesday, February 5. Authorities urge anyone with information about this case to contact the LA County Sheriff’s Department.