Rohnert Park public safety officials said Tuesday they still haven't been able to identify those believed to be responsible for intentionally setting fire to a recycling can in front of a city council member's home on July 4.
At 10:20 p.m. on the holiday, one or more people started the fire outside of Willy Linares' house. Surveillance videos from around that time identified four vehicles heading north on a nearby street.
"Fifteen seconds later, a large, commercial white van ... stopped directly in front of the recycling and trash bins, which were in the street," Rohnert Park Director of Public Safety Tim Mattos told reporters on Tuesday. "Video from a neighbor shows an individual exiting the van, scurrying in a hurried manner around the back of the van and disappearing."
The fire began six minutes later, according to officials.
The incident created outrage in the community, and Linares has said he believes he was targeted because of his support for the ban of the sale of July 4 fireworks in the city.
"Bullying and intimidation will not be tolerated," Mayor Gerard Giudice said at the press conference on Tuesday. "We may not always agree, and that’s OK. It’s healthy. You may not always agree with city council decisions, and when that’s the case, we want to hear from you. But we will always treat one another with respect and with dignity."
Fireworks sales have been a contentious issue in Rohnert Park. Those who favored the sales gathered enough petition signatures to hold a special election on the fate of fireworks in the city on Sept. 14, the same day as California’s gubernatorial recall.
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