Arson Suspect Nabbed Days After Police Say He Prompted Partial Evacuation Of Century City Mall

CENTURY CITY (CBSLA) — A 25-year-old man has been arrested days after police say he spurred the partial evacuation of the Westfield Century City mall last week.

Police identified the suspect as Nicholas K. Oates of Missouri. Oates was taken into custody while at the Venice boardwalk around 8 p.m. Saturday.

He stands accused of entering the mall armed with a handgun around 12:30 p.m. Friday.

It was around that time that police say he started to set books from the shelves on fire.

When a store employee approached in an attempt to stop him, police say that's when the suspect pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the employee causing the employee to evacuate everyone from the store.

Around 3 a.m. Saturday, security personnel at the mall located a possible vehicle they suspected had been driven by Oates.

The car was subsequently impounded, which led authorities to identify Oates as the possible suspect.

Oates was subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson and assault with a deadly weapon charges. It remains unclear whether he has been booked on the basis of these charges.