North Raleigh Today

The burning of two downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, businesses during protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis resulted in federal charges against a 26-year-old Raleigh man.

Richard Rubalcava, 26, was charged with two counts of malicious damage by means of fire, U.S. Attorney Robert Higdon said, the Greensboro News & Record reported on June 18. Rubalcava was arrested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on June 18.

Millions of dollars in damages were estimated in downtown Raleigh during protests on May 30 and 31. Graffiti was spray-painted and many businesses had windows shattered, the News & Record reported. At least 45 people were arrested during that first weekend of Floyd-related protests.

At first, the protest in downtown Raleigh was peaceful, the News & Observer reported. Parents brought their children and Black and white people voiced pleas for an end to police violence. Reportedly, after a few hours, the scene changed with rocks being thrown and tear gas filling the streets in response.

Surveillance video allegedly shows Rubalcava entering the DGX on Dave Street soon after midnight on May 31, Higdon told the News & Record. The store had been looted and its front windows were broken out. The suspect allegedly was seen filling a bag and then setting fire to items on one aisle, the U.S. Attorney said.

More video allegedly showed Rubalcava entering Budacai restaurant three times, the News & Record reported. One of the trips the suspect was seen taking the cash register. When he couldn’t get a plant inside set on fire, Higdon said he left a burning towel on a countertop, the News & Record reported.

Rubalcava already faced charges made by Raleigh police on May 30 of first-degree arson, trespassing during an emergency and felony inciting to riot, the News & Record reported.