A man arrested for arson multiple times in recent years is back in custody, accused of attempting to burn down a nightclub in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighbourhood.
Prosecutors charged David Tait Jr., 39, with arson in the first degree following a fire at the Neighbours nightclub on Broadway earlier this month.
“The defendant’s senseless conduct in this case was extremely dangerous to the lives of those inside the nightclub and those in the neighbouring buildings,” King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Turner wrote in charging documents.
According to Seattle police, employees at Neighbours called 911 around 10:15 p.m. on 2 November to report a fire at the business. Surveillance videos from the nightclub showed a male in a hoodie approaching the entrance and lighting a fire in an alcove decorated for Halloween. The fire triggered the club’s fire alarms.
Firefighters responded and extinguished the fire before it spread to the rest of the building. Approximately 30 minutes later, police responded to a report of a person lighting fires about a block away on 11th Avenue. A bystander flagged down a Seattle police officer and reported someone had just lit a fire under a pickup truck.
Police located Tait in the area and detained him because he matched the description of the suspect from the fire at Neighbours. During a search, police found a large can of butane in Tait’s trousers pocket and a lighter. Officers also discovered that Tait had an active warrant for a prior felony case of reckless burning.
Court records show Tait has been charged in connection with arson and reckless burning for years. In October, Tait was arrested for allegedly starting a fire inside the Pitts Campbell Apartments in Seattle’s Yesler Terrace neighbourhood. The facility provides supportive housing and is operated by Plymouth Housing.
According to the arrest report, staff at the facility told investigators that Tait “had a history of starting fires in his apartment” and that his latest fire had caused extensive damage. Residents at the facility stated they saw Tait run away from the building after the fire. Tait returned to the building the next day and was arrested.
According to Seattle fire investigators, there were two fires intentionally started in Tait’s unit: one burned a pile of laundry and the other burned a mattress. Fire crews located a butane torch in the apartment.
Police obtained security video from the facility that showed Tait leaving the third floor as the fire alarm was activating, according to an arrest report.
Seattle police investigators stated they believed Tait should be charged with arson in the first degree due to the fires being intentionally lit in an occupied building. Prosecutors, however, filed one charge of reckless burning in the first degree.
In charging documents filed on 30 October, prosecutors asked for a judge to set Tait’s bail at $150,000. Tait had already been released from jail the day prior, so a warrant for his arrest was issued.
Court records show Tait was also accused of causing an explosion in his apartment earlier this year, as well as lighting multiple fires this year. He was convicted of charges of reckless burning in 2020 for a string of intentionally set fires in Seattle.
He is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on the new charges on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in King County Superior Court.
The charging of David Tait Jr. with first-degree arson for the Neighbours nightclub fire highlights persistent challenges the criminal justice system faces managing repeat offenders whose behaviour patterns demonstrate escalating danger to public safety whilst mental health or substance abuse issues may contribute to the destructive conduct.
The pattern of repeated fire-setting behaviour documented in Tait’s criminal history suggests pyromania or fire-setting associated with other psychiatric conditions, substance use disorders, or neurological impairments that drive compulsive dangerous behaviour despite legal consequences. The progression from fires in his own apartment to fires in public spaces including nightclubs and under vehicles indicates escalating risk.
