Police are seeking a suspect in the Southwest Philly horse stable arson
Philadelphia Police and the City Wide Arson Task Force are seeking a man captured on surveillance footage taken just before the fire began.
Arson caused the death of two horses and burned others at pop-up stables in Southwest Philly last week, officials have determined.
Police and the ATF City Wide Arson Task Force are seeking a suspect who was captured on surveillance footage at the stables eight minutes before the fire was reported.
In the video taken from across the street, a figure is walking across the site, located at 5800 Eastwick Ave., three minutes before visible flames appear on the roof of one of the stables.
Police described the suspect as a “male wearing dark colored pants, a gray long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt, black hat with a thin build,” according to a statement. They encouraged anyone who has information about the incident or suspect to contact the City Wide Arson Task Force at 215-783-1092.
The land where the stables sit is owned by the city’s Redevelopment Authority, but the stables and horses are owned and operated by different individuals. Last week, Gordon Parks, the owner of the stables that were burnt and the two horses that were killed, said he believed that the fire was set by another horse owner at the stables.
According to Parks, who said he was in Georgia at the time of the fire, some of them were upset that he wouldn’t take care of their horses without compensation or involve them in his nonprofit that teaches youth to care for horses and goats.