A 53-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday, July 7, after bursting into a Cuban and Brazilian restaurant in Tampa, setting the establishment on fire with a flaming propane tank, and injuring an employee who tried to stop him, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
The suspect, identified as Rubiel Maceo Castillo, was found inside the burning establishment when the agents arrived at the scene, around 8:45 in the morning.
The agents arrived at the location after receiving a call reporting an assault at the Estrela Brasil Café, located at 8206 West Waters Avenue, in the Town 'N' Country area.
What happened inside the restaurant
According to court documents, Castillo allegedly threatened his wife -the presumed owner of the business- before the attack with the phrase "You won't have the business anymore."
Next, he grabbed two knives and lunged at several people inside, cut the gas line connected to a grill, took a propane tank, lit it, and carried it into the restaurant as the fire spread.
The surveillance camera footage released by the authorities shows the suspect—whose nationality has not been disclosed—walking inside with the burning tank and smashing the store's refrigerator with a frying pan.
When the agents arrived, they found the premises filled with smoke and flames, with another propane tank burning outside the building.
"Drop the knife right now!"
The officers found Castillo still inside the restaurant with the two knives in his hands and repeatedly ordered him to put down the weapons.
"Drop the knife right now. Do it now!" one of the officers can be heard shouting in the body camera video.
After getting Castillo out of the building, the firefighters from Hillsborough County Fire Rescue extinguished the fire while the officers proceeded with his arrest. No fatalities were reported.
An employee was injured
A woman who tried to intervene to stop Castillo received a cut on her wrist from one of the knives.
The employee, identified as Teresa in the coverage by Univision Tampa, recounted the terrifying moments she experienced: "He cut me. They cut me there. But it was small... But I'm okay now."
The woman explained that she was there "to prevent what happened at the end." Authorities confirmed that her injuries did not endanger her life.
Panic spread to the neighboring businesses
An employee from a nearby establishment described the confusion that unfolded in the area during the incident.
"We were hearing some banging in the walls next door in the morning, but we thought it was just some kind of repair work being done at the business next door," he told Univision Tampa.
"When I looked out, I saw two police officers pointing a weapon at the neighboring business, and then I saw them running away with the same weapons. That's when we got really scared," he added.
Nearby business owners stated that it is the first time they have witnessed a situation like this in the area.
The charges and the legal situation
Castillo was admitted to the Hillsborough County jail without bail and faces charges of first-degree arson of an occupied structure, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated battery with a weapon that caused serious bodily injury, and criminal damage to property exceeding $1,000.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the official reason, although investigators believe the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute between Castillo and his wife.
The restaurant was able to repair the damage and reopened its doors.
Castillo has a preventive detention hearing scheduled for July 13.
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