Governor Newsom Issues Statement on Arrest in Palisades Fire Investigation

Photo Credit: Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr.

SACRAMENTO, October 8, 2025 (CALIFORNIA NEWS TODAY) — California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement following the arrest of Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Florida resident, in connection with the Palisades Fire investigation by federal authorities.

“Today’s arrest of 29-year-old Florida resident Jonathan Rinderknecht marks an important step toward uncovering how the horrific Palisades Fire began and bringing closure to the thousands of Californians whose lives were upended. This tragedy will never be forgotten — lives were lost, families torn apart, and entire communities forever changed — and there must be accountability. We thank the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their thorough investigation into this fire and for confirming the indisputable facts on the ground. The state will continue to fully support this investigation and we look forward to the findings of the independent after-action report we’ve commissioned from the nation’s leading fire safety researchers,” said Governor Newsom.

Source: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom