SAN JOSE (KRON) – Officials announced the identity of the man arrested in connection with the April 9 fire at a Home Depot in San Jose.
Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27 and of San Jose, was identified at a midday press conference Tuesday. He was charged by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office with aggravated arson, seven counts of grand theft and three counts of petty theft, and will be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m.
He is accused of stealing from the Home Depot as it burned, then continuing his theft spree at an East Bay Macy’s. He is believed to be solely responsible for the fire.
Gogi was arrested Friday, April 15, according to a press release. Police announced yesterday that an arrest had been made.
The 11,000 square-foot building was destroyed in the fire, which could be detected from space. Nobody was hurt in the five-alarm fire. There were some $14 million in inventory losses.
Investigation hailed as a “multi-agency collaboration”
San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata thanked first responders.
“What you see here today is the result of hard work, investigative experience and multi-agency collaboration,” Mata said at the press conference. “Who you don’t see here today are the countless individuals, officers and fire personnel.”
San Jose Fire Department Chief Robert Sapien Jr. acknowledged the over 100 firefighters who helped to contain the fire, as well as other agencies in Santa Clara County who provided mutual aid and support, including the Santa Clara county and city fire departments.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted in the investigation, Sapien said. Patrick T. Gorman, special agent in charge of the ATF’s San Francisco field division, also spoke. He said 14 highly-experienced special agents and personnel, including forensic mapping specialists and fire experts, worked together with the ATF office and San Jose fire and police officials to investigate the fire.
“Together the investigative team worked diligently,” Gorman said. “This was all in an effort to identify the origin and cause of this fire.”
Investigators determined cause of fire was arson
Gorman said the investigators determined the fire was an arson.
“It was set while employees and customers were inside,” Gorman said. “Protecting the public is central to the ATF’s mission.”
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said he speaks “on behalf of a very grateful community.” He described it as “a fire that could be detected from outer space and within feet of hundreds of homes, Steinbek Elementary School and other sensitive locations in our city.”
“In many other cities, this might be a multiple homicide investigation,” Liccardo said. “Instead it is an arson investigation, and I am grateful it is only an arson and theft investigation.”
A motive was not announced.
Sapien said “the rapid spread of the fire could have been partly, if not solely, driven by the nature of the materials in the area” that the fire was lit, which he said were highly combustible.
The fire caused some $17 million in damage, according to the district attorney’s office.
