UPDATE 4/11/23 — Devaliti is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. on May 1.
Original article, published March 23, 2023:
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One man is said to have pulled three fire alarms at three public Springfield buildings in the span of one hour.
Forrest Sebastian Devaliti V, 28, of Springfield, is facing three felony charges of first-degree terroristic threat after he was arrested after allegedly pulling several fire alarms at public buildings throughout the city.
According to a police report, around noon on March 21, the Springfield Fire Department was notified that a possible building fire was occurring at the Veterans Coming Home Center on North Jefferson Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they were told that there was no fire.
Witnesses said a large man with dreadlocks had pulled the fire alarm and the left before firefighters arrived. The building was evacuated.
Shortly after that, firefighters were dispatched to Midtown Carnegie Library on East Central Street. The building was evacuated. The library branch manager showed the fire marshal security footage that depicted a man with dreadlocks pulling the fire alarm.
Shortly after that, firefighters were dispatched to Central High School on East Central Street. The building was evacuated. A school resource officer witnessed a man with dreadlocks pulling a fire alarm and detained him. The man was identified as Devaliti, who was wearing clothes similar to the man with dreadlocks in the video.
Using city cameras, the fire marshal watched footage of Devaliti traveling to various locations.
While he was being booked at the Greene County Jail, Devaliti said:
“I swear to God, if these handcuffs weren’t on me, I’d go to the nearest fire alarm and pull it.”
He had not been questioned up to that point. Devaliti laughed after he said it. He has not yet been scheduled for a court appearance.