RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A 20-year-old Perris man on probation and suspected of lighting off fireworks in the middle of a crowd of protesters in Riverside was in custody Thursday night in lieu of $50,000 bail.
As a large and peaceful demonstration in downtown Riverside was ending on June 1, a group of rioters stayed behind and caused disruption and destruction, including acts of vandalism and looting of several businesses. Rioters also threw commercial grade fireworks at law enforcement and ignited them amongst crowds of people, according to Officer Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department.
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Video of one incident at University Avenue and Orange Street showed a vehicle stop in the intersection, the driver places a large firework on the street and lights it. An unknown person in the crowd grabbed the firework and tossed it back into the vehicle, where it exploded. A group of people and the driver then assaulted this person, Railsback said.
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Protester throws fireworks into vehicle caught on camera
Detectives used the video to obtain the license plate number of the suspect vehicle and pictures of the suspect, identified as Gabriel Castillo, who is on probation for evading police, Railsback said.
Authorities conducted a probation search of a home in the 26900 block of Placentia Avenue in Perris on Tuesday and arrested Castillo. He was booked on illegal fireworks and probation violations, Railsback said.
Detectives also released videos of acts of vandalism and looting in downtown Riverside and asked for the public's help in identifying the suspects.
Those acts included:
• A suspect spray painting graffiti on a city electrical box at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Orange Street;
• A suspect using a hammer to vandalize and try to break into a Wells Fargo automated teller machine at 3750 University Ave., near Market Street;
• A large group of suspects breaking into and looting the T-Mobile store at 3750 University Ave.;
• A suspect is seen walking away after he smashed four large glass windows at the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, 3960 Orange St., causing over $8,000 in damage;
• Suspects vandalized and attempted to break into the Provident Bank ATM at 3695 Main St., causing at least $30,000 in damage;
• A suspect using a metal pipe to attempt to break the glass doors to the Game Lab, 3633 Market St. Three women and three men were able to stop the suspect from further damaging or looting the store.
Anyone with information about the suspects wanted for these acts of vandalism and looting was asked to contact Detective Paul Miranda at 951-353-7119 or via email at pmiranda@riversideca.gov.
Anonymous tips can be sent by email to rpdtips@rivesideca.gov or by using the department's mobile app "Submit a Tip" feature.