Chula Vista police have identified a 26-year-old man as the suspect who vandalized and set ablaze an empty high school cafeteria on Thanksgiving Day.
At around 7:50 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Chula Vista Fire Department and police officials rushed to Chula Vista High School after smoke was reported coming from the cafeteria. After arriving they found parts of the school had been vandalized.
On Friday, authorities charged Azteco Soto for the crime.
Officials said Soto was captured on surveillance footage using a skateboard to break a window at the school before entering the building.
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Once inside, police say Soto emptied food containers onto the floor and turned off all of the power, causing the food to spoil. After that, Soto allegedly set the area on fire before leaving the campus.
According to police, CVPD Crime Lab detectives were able to match fingerprints recovered at the scene to Soto.
When authorities interviewed Soto, who was already in custody for an unrelated burglary case, they said he confessed to the crimes.
Soto now faces three charges for arson, burglary, and vandalism.
Officials estimated over $5000 in damage was done to the high school.
