Animal Shelter Arson Suspect Arrested In Berkeley

BERKELEY, CA —Berkeley police arrested a man suspected of setting a fire at Berkeley Animal Care Services, forcing the city-operated shelter near Aquatic Park to shut its doors and move the animals in its care.

Police arrested Peter Taraba, 48, Thursday in downtown Berkeley for the June 6 blaze, according to the Berkeley Police Department.

Authorities booked him on suspicion of arson and multiple counts of animal cruelty. Investigators are also looking into whether Taraba played a role in a separate incident that left the shelter flooded overnight Wednesday, the Berkeleyside reported.

Taraba remains jailed at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $670,000 bail and is expected to appear in court Monday for arraignment, according to Berkeleyside. Prosecutors with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office had not filed formal charges as of Thursday.

The investigation began at about 10:08 p.m. June 6 when crews responded to the shelter after a burglar alarm sounded, followed shortly by a fire alarm, police said in a news statement.

After firefighters put out the blaze, fire investigators suspected the fire had been intentionally set. Property crime detectives reviewed surveillance footage and collected evidence from the scene.

Berkley police said the suspect allegedly used a rock to break a window before igniting the fire with an improvised incendiary device. Detectives later identified Taraba after he returned to the area, police said.

The fire temporarily shut down Berkeley Animal Care Services and forced staff to relocate the animals living at the facility while officials assessed the damage and worked to restore operations.