In a revelation that overturns much of previous investigation into the devastating Pacific Palisades Fire, the Department of Justice today said the blaze was a “holdover” fire from a blaze that had been set a week prior which, federal prosecutors said today, was the result of the actions of a 29-year-old Uber driver.
an “agitated” Rinderknecht walked up Skull Rock Trailhead on NYE after dropping off Uber passengers
“People do evil things for whatever reason,” Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the LA. Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bluntly said at a press conference this morning after Rinderknecht’s arrest. “I’m not going to speculate or go into anything of that, like we have evidence of that, that will be addressed in trial, but evil people do evil things.”
Or, "Florida man accused of starting New Year's Day fire that became deadly Palisades Fire days later"
Other stories I considered posting for this event:
Palisades firebug Jonathan Rinderknecht listened to disturbing French song repeatedly before setting ‘malicious’ fire: court docs —NYPost
Lyrics from the song include, “Daily life is killing me,” “I feel like I’m nowhere,” and “too much bitterness in my head, I think about the mistakes we made.”
“Google records indicate that Rinderknecht had listened to the same song nine times in the previous four days,” it states. He watched the corresponding fiery music video four times.
Officials arrest man in Florida on suspicion of starting devastating Palisades Fire —CNN
Rinderknecht asked the chatbot for a “dystopian painting divided into distinct parts that blend together seamlessly. On the far left, there is a burning forest. Next to it, a crowd of people is running away from the fire, leading to the middle. In the middle, hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it. On the other side of the gate and the entire wall is a conglomerate of the richest people. They are chilling, watching the world burn down, and watching the people struggle.”
While Rinderknecht was attempting to contact authorities, he used ChatGPT again to ask, “Are you at fault if a fire is lift (sic) because of your cigarettes,” the complaint says.
Investigators later ruled out cigarettes as a possible cause based on weather conditions at the time, according to the complaint.