January 21, 2026 | From City of New Orleans
Mayor Helena Moreno and City Leaders Provide Update on Capture of Suspect in Bywater Arsons
NEW ORLEANS — Today, Mayor Helena Moreno held a press conference with Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Michael Harrison, NOFD Superintendent Roman Nelson, NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, and ATF Assistant Special Agent Jason Denhan to announce the arrest of a suspect in the Bywater Arson Investigation.
The suspect, Kyle J. Thomsen, was arrested by NOPD on the evening of Tuesday, January 20. Thomsen has been booked on four counts of aggravated arson of an inhabited dwelling and nine counts of simple arson.
The arrest came within 48 hours of the crimes thanks to a strong collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies, led by NOFD’s fire prevention division and including the NOPD, State Fire Marshal, and ATF.
Mayor Helena Moreno thanked the residents of the Bywater area for their patience and vigilance during this investigation.
“The incident in Bywater created chaos, terror, and fear in the City of New Orleans, and we weren’t going to stand for it,” Mayor Moreno said. “That is why on Monday I called for urgent collaboration and the use of all resources to bring the perpetrator to justice. It is a tremendous blessing that no one was injured or killed.”
“We responded to this incident like we would if nine people had been shot,” Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Michael Harrison said. “That’s how seriously we take crimes against our community like this. What you see is the fruit of collaboration and coordination between our local, state, and federal partners to deter crime in our city.”
“I want to highlight the incredible work of our firefighters who responded to one car burning and then found several more,” NOFD Superintendent Roman Nelson said. “They were able to address multiple fires quickly while mitigating further risk to the community.”
“We act as a full-court press, and we’re going to get you, so why would you even commit crimes of this nature in the first place?” NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. “Our focus is prevention on the front end. We can get you some redirection, so why would you cause harm?”
ATF Assistant Special Agent Jason Denhan said, “When you have our specialized expertise within arm’s reach, of course we’re going to collaborate with our local partners. We’re committed to standing together in future endeavors, not just as an entity that can solve crime but prevent it.”
If residents see anything suspicious, please report it immediately—community tips played an important role in this investigation.
NOTE: A corrected address and initial charge for the suspect are available upon request.
Follow @CityofNola and Nola.gov for more updates.