Man Arrested for Burning CVS in Baltimore Riot

Police say they have caught the man responsible for burning down the Baltimore CVS during the Freddie Gray riots.

Suspected arsonist Raymon Carter was arrested on July 1, 2015, and now faces charges of federal arson violations, The Baltimore Sun reported.

“Raymon Carter burned a CVS—our CVS—to the ground,” police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts said at a news conference. “The very same CVS that people who live in that neighborhood relied on for their medication, for their food, for toiletries in that community. He is a criminal that took advantage of our city when we were most vulnerable.”

Community tipsters played a role in helping the police find Carter. When confronted, the man tried to escape and ignored officers’ calls for him to stop, though he was eventually arrested.

The investigation is ongoing to determine whether Carter was the only arsonist allegedly involved in the crime. Police also said they are continuing to investigate other crimes that occurred during the protests.

So far, police have arrested 12 adults and 7 juveniles for alleged crimes, according to The Baltimore Sun.

“For those who have destroyed our stores, who have thrown rocks at our officers, we’re coming,” Batts said.

Carter’s alleged involvement in the CVS fire led to more than $1 million in damage for the West Baltimore pharmacy, Batts said.

In May, CVS announced that it would rebuild 2 of its pharmacy locations that had been looted and wrecked. In addition, affected CVS workers were allowed to work at other locations, and they were paid their typical hourly wage during the protests, whether or not they were able to work.

CVS also donated $100,000 to the United Way of Central Maryland’s Maryland Unites Fund and the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Fund for Rebuilding Baltimore.

“As we watched the events unfold in Baltimore…our hearts turned from pain to the promise of what is ahead,” said CVS Health President and CEO Larry Merlo in the May press release. “Our purpose as a company is helping people on their path to better health. There is no better way that we can fulfill that purpose than to reopen our doors and get back to serving the community. It is simply the right thing to do.”