2:56 PM: We’re outside the King County Jail downtown, where Judge Anne Harper set $300,000 bail a short time ago for the 22-year-old man arrested in connection with recent West Seattle arsons (WSB was first to report the arrest this morning) – twice what the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office had requested. The suspect declined the chance to appear at the hearing, at which Judge Harper found probable cause to keep him in jail while prosecutors decide on what could be multiple counts of second-degree arson. Prosecutors told the judge that the suspect has no known criminal history, as reported here earlier. He is said to have told police he set fires because he wanted to get help; hearing that, Judge Harper said, left her more concerned that he would be a danger to the community if released without getting that help. His family has just left the courthouse, declining to comment to waiting reporters. We’re awaiting a copy of the probable-cause documents and will add to this story when we get them.

3:25 PM: Just received the documents. They say he has confessed to setting four fires – the two on October 12th in High Point, at the SW Morgan eastbound bus stop between 34th and 35th, and around the corner in a front-yard waste bin in the 6500 block of 34th SW – steps from his residence – as well as the two on October 31st in The Junction.

The documents begin by listing eight fires that police have investigated – six fires in High Point and Morgan between October 12th and October 21st, then the two set in The Junction early Halloween morning, including the one beneath the Senior Center of West Seattle, where surveillance video, the documents say, shows the fire being set at 2:02 am, and showing the fire-setter leaving, then returning a moment later “to see if the fire is going.”

Less than 20 minutes later, a witness saw someone leaving the alley behind the Easy Street Records building, and then saw a dumpster on fire; two citizens pushed it away from the building’s wall.

Surveillance video from The Junction 7-11 about two blocks south shows someone in clothing similar to that worn by the person seen at those arson scenes – a red hoodie with a “dark body or vest over it” – making a purchase around 2:30 am. The document jumps ahead to this past Wednesday, when officers saw someone matching the arsonist’s description walking in The Junction, but weren’t able to make contact.

Then police got a tip from someone who knows the suspect and had seen the surveillance video from the bus-stop fire. The tipster met with police yesterday and identified the suspect. Last night, as reported earlier, police served a warrant on his home in the 6500 block of 34th SW, where the documents say they recovered clothing matching what was worn by the person seen on video in the Junction arsons. Shortly thereafter, they found and arrested him at Shadowland in The Junction (the documents don’t say how they knew he was there) and took him downtown for questioning. In that questioning, police say he admitted to setting the October 12th and 31st fires but would not admit to any others. And, as noted earlier, he said he did it because he needed help. He is due back in court next Tuesday (November 10th), by which time prosecutors should decide on charges.

(WSB photo: Investigators, firefighters at October 31st dumpster arson behind Senior Center)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

9:51 AM: Seattle Police have just confirmed to WSB that a suspect is in custody in connection with recent West Seattle arsons. Which ones, we don’t yet know – SPD spokesperson Sgt. Sean Whitcomb says details are yet to come.

Here’s what we had found out before getting that confirmation:

A 22-year-old West Seattle man with no apparent criminal record was booked into the King County Jail just after midnight for investigation of arson. A few hours earlier, we confirmed with the Southwest Precinct after a reader tip, the Arson and Bomb Squad was involved in serving a warrant at a residence on 34th SW between Morgan and Holly, the same block where one of the earliest fires in the High Point/Morgan string happened – a waste bin set afire on October 12th.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tells us that since the suspect was booked into jail early today, his bail hearing will not be until tomorrow. We’ll update this story as soon as more information is available.

9:56 AM: Additional details just reported via SPD Blotter:

… Officers arrested the man at a bar near SW Oregon and California Ave SW after serving a warrant on his home and finding evidence linking him to several recent fires in West Seattle. Detectives interviewed the 22-year-old and booked him into the King County Jail for investigation of arson.

So far, detectives have linked the man to four fires in the West Seattle area, including incidents captured on surveillance video on October 12th and Halloween. Police believe the man may be connected to a number of other fires in West Seattle as well, but are still investigating and working with prosecutors to bring charges.

The Halloween-morning fires were both in The Junction (WSB coverage here), in dumpsters under the Senior Center and alongside the California/Alaska building that houses businesses including Easy Street Records and Twilight Gallery. The October 12th fires were in High Point; the one on surveillance video was at the bus stop on the south side of SW Morgan just east of 35th SW:

(October 12th surveillance video showing fire being set at Morgan/35th bus stop)
10:20 AM: We have an update from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: The suspect will have a bail hearing today, after all. Documentation from that hearing should provide even more information about why police arrested him.

BACKSTORY: Here’s how this has all unfolded over the past three weeks (keep in mind, the October 12th fires weren’t brought up until days later), with links to our coverage:

October 18: Early-morning arson damages two cars in Sylvan Ridge area east of High Point
October 19: Early-morning arson damages High Point management building at 35th/Holly; flareup in the afternoon does even more damage
October 20: SW Precinct Capt. Pierre Davis tells the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council that police also are looking at October 12th bus stop, trash can fires as possibly related arsons
October 21: Not far from the 10/12 arsons, recycling bin set afire outside 40th/Morgan house
October 22: Police go public with surveillance video of person starting 10/12 bus-stop fire
October 31, early morning: Firefighters put out two dumpster fires in The Junction
October 31, afternoon: Police release surveillance photos they believe show the suspect in the Junction arsons

2:37 PM UPDATE: We’re at the jailhouse courtroom downtown, where the suspect waived his right to appear. Prosecutors requested $150,000 bail; Judge Anne Harper doubled that to $300,000, citing danger to the community. The probable cause documents are reported to say the suspect said he set fires because he “wanted help.” We’ll write a separate update when documentation is available later.