Man charged in Seattle encampment fire, park attack released from custody
SEATTLE — The man charged with starting a massive encampment fire in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood in August has been released from custody.
Forty-three-year-old Paris Alcantara's most recent arrest was at the beginning of September when he allegedly chased a man with an axe through Cascade Park while yelling, “I’m going to [expletive] kill you.” According to the Washington State Automated Victim Information and Notification Service, the reason behind Alcantara's release is “sentence served.”
Alcantara is charged with reckless burning and reckless endangerment for a massive fire that destroyed his encampment on Mercer Street on Aug. 14.
According to the city attorney’s office, Alcantara said a candle burning in his tent tipped over and sparked the fire in August. Alcantara’s defense attorney previously argued that he had resources available to him through a local church, an outreach group and his family.
Alcantara was released from jail with no bail on Aug. 28 with the condition that he stay at least 1,000 feet away from the former encampment and not break the law. Five days later, on Sept. 2, he was returned to police custody for felony harassment charges.
“Alcantara is a staggering danger to the community,” a Seattle police officer wrote in the arrest report. “He was recently the subject of a KOMO 4 news article about how he burned an encampment down, putting several people and ample property at risk of death and destruction. He was arrested less than a week ago and released within 24 hours without bail. He has continued to attack and threaten people.”
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According to court documents, a witness in the park reported seeing Alcantara chasing the victim around the park with a metal weapon while yelling. The victim reported to police that it was an axe, though the officer later found a large metal pipe near Alcantara’s tent.
Alcantara has been known to carry metal weapons that neighbors have described as "mad max style."
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“He needs to be held in jail and seen by a judge who will take the risks to the community seriously before more people are hurt and more property is destroyed. Alcantara should absolutely be held in jail for as long as possible. If released, I am certain that more violence will be committed by Alcantara against vulnerable members of our community,” the Seattle police officer wrote in the arrest report.
Alcantara was released from custody on Oct. 24.