Authorities in Florida apprehended a man who allegedly brought a blazing propane tank into a Tampa dining establishment and brandished two knives while deputies attempted to arrest him.
The drama unfolded at approximately 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, when deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office were called to a restaurant in Tampa following reports of an ongoing assault or battery, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered the interior of the restaurant engulfed in smoke and flames, with a propane tank ignited outside, officials reported. They observed Rubiel Maceo Castillo, 53, inside, holding twin knives. Deputies repeatedly ordered him to discard the weapons and exit the premises.
This still image from surveillance footage shows a man carrying a burning propane tank through a Tampa restaurant on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
In a tense moment captured on bodycam footage, a deputy can be heard shouting, “Drop the knife now. Do it now.”
Working alongside Hillsborough County Fire Rescue crews, deputies extinguished the fire before taking Castillo into custody. He was booked into jail and is being held without bond.
Castillo allegedly grabbed two knives and charged at several people inside the restaurant before cutting a woman on the wrist when she tried to intervene, according to court documents obtained by WFLA-TV. Investigators alleged he then cut a gas line connected to a grill, grabbed a propane tank and ignited the fire.
Deputies were heard ordering the man to drop a pair of knives he was holding and exit the smoke-filled restaurant. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
Surveillance video released by the sheriff’s office appears to show a man carrying a flaming propane tank through the restaurant as flames spread inside the business. Body camera footage also captured deputies confronting the suspect before placing him under arrest and helping extinguish the blaze.
Rubiel Maceo Castillo, 53, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson of an occupied structure, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
Castillo has been charged with first-degree arson of an occupied structure, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief causing more than $1,000 in damage and other offenses, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
While authorities have not publicly identified a motive, WFLA reported that investigators believe the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute involving Castillo and his wife.