Craig Tamanaha is accused of setting a Fox News Christmas tree on fire in New York City.<\/b>
\nMugshot\/Twitter\t Craig Tamanaha\t Craig Tamanaha is accused of setting the Fox News Christmas tree on fire in New York City in a dramatic blaze caught on multiple videos. You can see videos of the 50-foot Christmas tree burning down throughout this article. The tree stands in front of a building that houses FOX News Channel, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post. \u201cEarlier this morning, a 49-year-old man climbed a Christmas tree at 48 St & 6th Ave in Manhattan & lit a fire causing the tree to become engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished & responding officers arrested the suspect, who has been charged for this crime,\u201d the New York Police Department wrote on Twitter. It\u2019s called the All-American Christmas Tree. The NYPD has arrested a man who they say climbed a Christmas tree outside Fox News\u2019 headquarters and set it on fire. The blaze has since been extinguished and no one was hurt. pic.twitter.com\/iyh4otgKtS CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) December 8,2021 This photo of Tamanaha emerged: Here\u2019s what you need to know: A man was charged after allegedly setting fire to the Christmas tree outside the Fox News building in New York on Wednesday, police said. pic.twitter.com\/h8bYU4rKzt \u2014 CBS News (@CBSNews) December 8,2021 NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea told WPIX, \u201cThe motive I don\u2019t think is clear at this point. It\u2019s an individual that\u2019s known to us. He has a series of low level arrests and drug arrests. He was issued early this year some appearance tickets and didn\u2019t come back to court which unfortunately is something we see all too often. He also has some low level arrests out of state, I believe it\u2019s Texas.\u201d This morning, @NYPDShea spoke with @DanMannarino on @wpix about the Christmas Tree that was lit on fire in Manhattan, hate crime statistics, vaccine mandate, and his upcoming retirement. Watch the full interview\u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/yYdz0FKGZi \u2014 NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 8,2021 Shea said that police believe \u201cit\u2019s one where he\u2019s working alone\u2026 it\u2019s probably a little preliminary to say what the motivation was. Was mental illness a factor?\u201d He said police are still investigating the motive, however. The charred remains of the Christmas tree in front of the Fox News building in New York was dismantled and removed after it was torched. A suspect is in custody and facing several charges, according to NYPD. https:\/\/t.co\/c3Ty6nbPvE pic.twitter.com\/yWbYpY1opk \u2014 ABC News (@ABC) December 8,2021 Videos captured the Christmas tree on fire and also the charred remains of it. Online records indicate that Tamanaha was born in Hawaii and has lived in Louisiana. #BREAKING: The Fox News Christmas Tree is on fire in NYC pic.twitter.com\/xfWdFgdQIS \u2014 Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) December 8,2021 According to CBS News, Tamanaha was charged with \u201ccriminal mischief, reckless endangerment, arson, criminal nuisance, criminal trespass, criminal tampering and disorderly conduct.\u201d His offenses don\u2019t qualify for bail, according to Fox News. Criminal defense lawyer Mark Bederow, a former prosecutor, told Fox: \u201cThere\u2019s no question that the legislature has got to reevaluate the nooks and crannies of the bail statute because it\u2019s leading to absurd outcomes.\u201d He added to Fox, \u201cYou\u2019d have to intentionally damage a building or vehicle by starting a fire or explosion as a hate crime, which is an extraordinarily high bar for bail eligibility. Having a personal bias or animus toward Christmas doesn\u2019t legally cut it.\u201d Police confiscated a lighter from the suspect, according to CBS News, which obtained an internal document from Fox News\u2019 CEO Suzanne Scott, who wrote that it was an \u201cact of cowardice.\u201d \u201cWe are in the process of building and installing a new tree as a message that there can be peace, light and joy even during a dark moment like this,\u201d Scott said, according to the internal Fox News memo obtained by CBS, which reported that the tree is located in midtown and the suspect is homeless. No injuries were reported and Yamanaha was quickly apprehended. READ NEXT: Read More About the Delphi Murders<\/p>\n