In a recent incident near his home in Washington, Paul Child observed an unknown man acting suspiciously by some bushes near railroad tracks. This happened shortly before Child noticed smoke rising about ten minutes later, which eventually led to the identification of a suspected arsonist.
Body camera footage has emerged showing the police detaining a man who fit the description given by witnesses. Subsequently, Child’s family was evacuated, and he, along with his grandson and the boy’s friend, were taken on a field trip by officers. During this time, video footage captured police stating that the detained man had “a fanny pack full of matches.”
However, the video does not provide evidence of these alleged items or detail how they were found. Child expressed surprise, noting that he and others were not informed about the fanny pack or its contents until later.
He recounted seeing the man behaving oddly, stating that the second time they spotted him, he seemed nervous and was pacing back and forth. Initially, when they last saw the man, there was no smoke in sight, but within minutes, smoke began to billow up about half a mile away.
Officers present at the scene later explained that they might be asking Child to help with a show-up identification — a procedure where witnesses identify suspects immediately after an event. As Child’s family evacuated, they gathered their pets and belongings amidst growing concerns about the rapidly spreading fire, which ultimately damaged or destroyed over 920 structures across multiple fires in the area.
After the incident, Child and the two boys approached a Spokane County deputy’s vehicle and identified the detained individual as Aaron Farinacci, who was later arrested on multiple counts of arson. Authorities allege that Farinacci had been planning this fire for about two weeks, even using a delayed ignition device he created. Despite his initial denial of involvement, Farinacci eventually confessed to the charges against him.
Reflecting on the chaos of that day, Child felt disappointed that he couldn’t prevent the incident entirely. He noted that, although the immediate threat to his home subsided, the potential for future fires remained a serious concern. “At least he’s off the street,” Child mused, acknowledging a small victory in the midst of a broader unsettling situation.
