Portland Police have arrested a suspect who they say started a fire in East Portland's Mill Park neighborhood that displaced City Councilor Candace Avalos from her home.

According to police, Vashon M. Locust, 51, was trying to use an electrical outlet in a shed near Avalos’ house to plug in a heater around 2:40 am Sunday, October 26. The outlet didn't work, so he reportedly lit a small fire, which spread. The fire destroyed Avalos’ vehicle, carport, and part of her home. Initially, police said the blaze was suspicious, but later reported no sign of any accelerant or incendiary device. The Portland Fire Investigations Unit, which consists of Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) sworn investigators, and a detective from the Portland Police Bureau, concluded the fire likely wasn’t meant to target Avalos. 

Last week, police circulated a video clip captured by a security camera showing a man walking near the property around the time of the fire, asking for the public’s help in identifying the man so police could question him.

On Tuesday, November 4, PPB East Precinct officers arrested Locust after interviewing him about the incident. Locust was booked into Multnomah County Jail on charges of reckless burning and criminal mischief.

“Over the past few days I’ve been trying to wrap my head around losing my car, having my home burned, and watching my neighbors go through the same nightmare,” Avalos wrote Friday in a column she publishes on the city’s website. “It's gutting. It's disorienting. Every time I try to describe it, words feel too small. I'm grateful to everyone who's reached out, checked in, or sent love.”

On Tuesday, she issued a statement after the announcement of the arrest.

"After speaking with District Attorney [Nathan] Vasquez this afternoon and learning more about the arrest of Vashon Locust, I have a clearer understanding of what happened and the conditions that led to the fire at my home," Avalos stated. "I am still learning about Mr. Locust and don’t want to speak about him as an individual yet, but I do hope to connect with him when the time is right."

Late last week, OPB reported Avalos was worried that police investigators were jumping to conclusions about the origins and potential motives for the fire, noting a suspicious email her office had received a few days before the fire.

"We recognize that this incident has been deeply distressing for Councilor Avalos and her neighbors, and we want to express our sincere empathy for everything they have endured," Portland Police Chief Bob Day and Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Lauren Johnson said in a joint statement Tuesday. "From the outset, our shared priority was to ensure safety, determine the cause and origin of the fire, and provide transparency to the community.”

Court documents indicate Locust may be unhoused. In March, attorneys formulated a plan for Locust to receive services from a local men’s shelter as part of a jail release plan after he was arrested on charges of menacing. His charges were later dismissed. A prior court case also listed him as homeless and court documents from 2024 related to a burglary and trespassing case indicate he was ordered to be evaluated at Oregon State Hospital and was later deemed unfit to stand trial.