MCSO
Audio By Carbonatix
A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at the Fourth Avenue Jail in Phoenix, Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said Wednesday.
The suspect has been identified as Michael Anthony Arreola of Mesa, a former inmate in the jail.
Two separate firebombing incidents were documented on surveillance video: The first was a little after 2 a.m. Tuesday and the other just before 7 p.m. that same day.
When news happens, Phoenix New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Michael Arreola
MCSO
In both instances, no one was hurt.
Penzone declined to speculate about a motive, but described the firebombing as “an attack on law enforcement and the community at large.”
“Any time we put on our uniform, we’re at risk,” he added.
According to the MCSO, Arreola has previously been arrested for assault, burglary, and property damage in Phoenix and Tempe as well as California.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has not yet announced what charges he’ll be facing in connection with the firebombing incident.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Penzone credited the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center with helping to identify the white minivan that appears in the surveillance footage.
Law enforcement officers then traced the car to an address in Mesa, where Arreola peacefully surrendered at around 5 this morning.
The investigation is still ongoing and the MCSO has not ruled out the possibility that additional suspects may have been involved, Penzone said.
