SEATTLE, WA – A 19-year-old man traveled from Alaska to Seattle with one purpose: to set fire to the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct. DESMOND DAVID-PITTS was charged today with arson, just days after allegedly igniting a blaze during a Monday night protest march. The feds moved swiftly, arresting DAVID-PITTS shortly after the flames were lit.
U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran didn’t mince words: “This is the fourth defendant to appear in federal court after being charged with criminal conduct that went far beyond any peaceful protest.” Moran made it clear that those who hide behind protests to commit violence will face the full force of federal law. “This illegal conduct must end,” he stated. Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best echoed the sentiment, labeling the incident “an act of lawlessness” and thanking federal partners for recognizing the criminal nature of the attack.
The surveillance footage paints a damning picture. DAVID-PITTS arrived in Seattle just three days prior to the incident. The footage shows him methodically piling trash against the precinct’s sally-port door, then, over eleven minutes, repeatedly lighting it and feeding the flames. This wasn’t a spontaneous act. While DAVID-PITTS torched the trash, others attempted to disable the door with crowbars and cement-like materials, seemingly coordinating with the arsonist. Officers were able to extinguish the flames and escape, but not before the situation became dangerously volatile. A second fire was set nearby, and DAVID-PITTS was caught on camera cutting through a perimeter fence with his accomplices.
The break in the case came quickly. DAVID-PITTS was identified less than an hour later, standing out in the crowd thanks to his distinctive pink camouflage trousers. He was arrested without incident. This arrest comes on the heels of three other federal charges stemming from the ongoing civil unrest. Isaiah Thomas Willoughby was charged July 15 with arson related to a fire at the same East Precinct. Margaret Aislinn Channon faces arson charges for allegedly torching five Seattle Police vehicles on June 11. And on June 10, Devinare Antwan Parker was charged with possessing a destructive device – an improvised firearm – brought to a protest.
Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz, stepping into command of the Department, vowed to maintain the SPD’s federal partnerships, stating that the charges against DAVID-PITTS “will serve as a warning that crimes of violence will not be tolerated in Seattle.” If convicted, DAVID-PITTS faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with a potential maximum sentence of twenty years. The investigation was spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department, with the prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
It’s crucial to remember that these are allegations at this stage. DAVID-PITTS, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. But the evidence presented so far suggests a deliberate and dangerous attack on law enforcement, and the feds are sending a clear message: violence won’t be tolerated on the streets of Seattle.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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