A man accused of firebombing the entrance of an LAPD station early Sunday morning has been arrested by police officers who apprehended the suspect after a brief foot chase.
Authorities said Jonathon Rosin, a 24-year-old resident of Los Angeles, was taken into custody and booked for “Igniting An Explosive.” He also had an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for theft. Rosin is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center Jail on a $501,000 bail, according to LAPD. The department said his motive is unknown.
Police say Rosin approached the Topanga Community Police Station front doors, lit a glass bottle that contained a flammable liquid, then threw it at the front window at around 1 a.m.
“Upon contact with the window the bottle shattered and ignited the flammable liquid,” an LAPD news release said. “The incident was witnessed by multiple LAPD personnel on the station’s CCTV system. The flames were extinguished promptly by a supervisor.”
The LAPD Topanga Area Community Police Station services areas of the San Fernando Valley, including Canoga Park, West Hills, Winnetka, and Woodland Hills.
On Monday morning, FOX News reporter Bill Melugin posted footage of the crime on social media.
“A source sent me this video, which shows a suspect throwing a Molotov cocktail against the doors,” tweeted Melugin. “LAPD tells me officers witnessed it and chased the suspect down. Suspect is now in custody.”
NEW: LAPD’s Topanga Division station was firebombed Sunday morning at about 1am. A source sent me this video, which shows a suspect throwing a Molotov cocktail against the doors. LAPD tells me officers witnessed it and chased the suspect down. Suspect is now in custody @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/gTozeuDwsR
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) May 10, 2021
The security footage posted by Melugin shows a man dressed in black walking toward the front entrance to the station doors, then throwing an object at the window that bursts into flames upon contact. After the explosion, the man is seen running out of frame. Several law enforcement officers are shown on video exiting the station about twenty seconds later.
LAPD officers caught Rosin following a short foot pursuit. He was taken into custody without incident about a block away from the station. Police said he reeked of gasoline. According to local news reports, officers at the station declined to comment in detail. No one was injured.
The Los Angeles Daily News reports, “a spot near the front entrance to the station was left singed by the attack,” and:
LAPD officials have not said whether they believed Rosin had any contact with officers in the past. Court records show he was arrested by officers from the Topanga station two years ago on petty theft and misdemeanor threat and battery charges.
Rosin spent a few days in jail after he was arrested. He appeared in court in Van Nuys and pleaded no contest to the petty theft charge. He was given probation and released. He pleaded not guilty to the threat and battery charges, which were both dismissed.
FOX News reports, an LAPD spokeswoman “said incidents involving attacks on police stations are not too common in the Los Angeles area, but admitted that over the past year incidents in the vicinity of police stations have increased to some degree, without providing a specific number.”