INCIDENT: Suspect Arrested in Ontario Mills Fire
Ontario, CA: At 10:30 a.m., Ontario Police and Ontario Fire responded to Ontario Mills regarding reports of multiple fires inside the mall. The calls to dispatch indicated the fires were being intentionally set by a male suspect who was in possession of a lighter and a backpack.
Soon after the initial call, officers contacted the suspect, identified as Luis Javier Gallegos Jr., a 28-year-old resident of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. During the encounter, Gallegos did not comply with officers, and a use of force occurred. As officers were working to take the suspect into custody, additional police and fire personnel evacuated and closed the mall while firefighters worked to extinguish the fires and ensure there were no additional threats.
Due to reports of the suspect being in possession of a backpack, explosive detection K-9 teams were requested as a precaution. The K-9 teams conducted a sweep of both the interior and exterior of the mall, rendering it safe.
At this time, no injuries to the public have been reported. One officer received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and was later treated and released from a local medical center. After Gallegos was taken into custody, he was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Gallegos was later released and booked into the West Valley Detention Center where he was charged for an arson-related felony.
As the investigation continues, detectives are working to identify a motive for the incident and determine if there is any connection to the April 7th Kimberly-Clark warehouse fire in Ontario.
Detectives are seeking any victims who may have been injured as a result of the fire. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ontario Police Department at (909) 986-6711 or Detective Ryan Holmes at (909) 408-1045. Information can be reported anonymously by calling WE-TIP at 800-78-CRIME or online at www.wetip.com.
For fire-related inquiries, please refer to the information below.
Ontario Fire Media Inquiries:
Battalion Chief Scot Roeber
(949) 291-4615
[email protected]
