Man arrested after burning Uhuru House flag with flamethrower, St. Pete police say
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The man caught on surveillance cameras torching a flag with a flamethrower at Uhuru House has been arrested, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Kenny Raymond was arrested on a criminal mischief charge, police said. Officers also initiated a Risk Protection Order process.
Kenny Raymond; Courtesy: St. Petersburg Police Department
The incident happened Saturday morning at the Uhuru House Black community center on 18th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, investigators confirmed. Just before 10 a.m., a white Honda sedan pulled into a parking spot at Uhuru House.
RELATED: Video: Suspect with flamethrower torches flag at Uhuru House in St. Petersburg
Cameras recorded as the suspect walked across the parking lot carrying what appeared to be a flamethrower. The suspect then held it up and a massive stream of fire shot out.
African flag outside St. Pete Uhuru House was burned by an arson suspect who had a flamethrower (Uhuru House)
A photo of the flag shared by a volunteer with Uhuru House showed a black-singed hole in the flag of Africa. Crews said nearby palm trees were also damaged by the flames.
The suspect eventually got back into the car and left the scene, the video shows.