Atlanta Police Arrest Man Who Allegedly Painted Swastikas on Rainbow Crosswalks
Atlanta police have apprehended a man believed to be responsible for spray-painting swastikas on the city's rainbow crosswalks, reported Fox News. The crosswalks were installed to honor the city's gay community after the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016.
Jonah Sampson, 30, was arrested outside of his apartment on Friday after a roughly fie-hour standoff with a SWAT team.
Police believe Sampson is also responsible for graffiti at the city's Federal Reserve Building.
"Jail records show Sampson is facing three charges of second degree criminal damage to property, one count of criminal trespass and a felony charge of interference with government property," Fox News reports.
A spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said Sampson's bond was set to $77,500 for all charges. He remains in custody.
"His arrest follows the discovery of one swastika that had been painted on the rainbow crosswalk last Wednesday, as well as a second swastika found on the crosswalk on Friday, which appeared next to an anti-gay slur," Fox News reports.
"This is an unacceptable act in this city, anywhere in this city or in any form where citizens are targeted by hate," interim Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week, Fox News reports. "This department is aggressively looking now for the individual who did this."
A spokesman for Mayor Andre Dickens' office said the incident was "disgusting" and thanked city workers "for erasing the hate that has no place in our city in such a swift and efficient manner," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week.