TAMPA, Fla. — A man armed with knives was arrested Tuesday morning after deputies found him inside a burning Tampa restaurant, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
Deputies responded around 8:45 a.m. to a business on West Waters Avenue after receiving reports of a possible assault or battery in progress.
When they arrived, officials said smoke and flames were pouring from the restaurant while a propane tank outside the building had also caught fire.
Deputies spotted 53-year-old Rubiel Maceo Castillo inside the restaurant holding two knives and ordered him to drop the weapons and come outside, HCSO said.
Working with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews, deputies helped contain the fire before taking Castillo into custody.
Castillo is now facing several charges, including first-degree arson of an occupied structure.
No injuries have been reported.
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