LA MESA, Calif. — Two men have been charged with arson and looting in connection with fires set intentionally during riots in La Mesa on May 30.
Two Arrested for Arson on Chase Bank Building
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) November 3, 2020
During Violent May Protest in La Mesa#PressRelease #Partnerships pic.twitter.com/eOrOUvp0ah
Agents with the San Diego FBI field office, in conjunction with the La Mesa and San Diego police departments, announced Tuesday that Alexander Jacob King, 19, and Ricky Bernard Cooper, 33, have each been charged with felony arson of a structure and looting, KFMB reported.
King faces only one looting charge, while Cooper was charged with looting four separate businesses, the TV station reported.
On Nov. 2nd, two men were arrested for the May 30th arson of the Chase Bank in La Mesa. Since the arson our partners w/@FBISanDiego & @LMPD have been working to identify & hold accountable the persons responsible. Peaceful protest is a right. Violent vandalism & arson is not pic.twitter.com/TUin58Vzz3
— San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) November 3, 2020
The authorities' statement linked King’s arson charge to the burning of a Chase bank, but no specific structure was cited for Cooper’s arson charge. A nearby Union bank branch was also burned that night, KNSD reported.
According to the TV station, peaceful La Mesa protests took place May 30, just days after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody and the controversial arrest of a Black man, Amaurie Johnson, by La Mesa Police Department Officer Matt Dages, who is white. All charges against Johnson were later dropped, but not before the peaceful protests turned violent.
Cox Media Group
