Three teenagers in Texas have been identified as suspects in connection with a vandalism spree after police say they spray-painted “racist and vulgar” graffiti on 17 vehicles in the Dallas suburb of Arlington.
The community’s assistance in providing surveillance video led to the suspects’ identification, the location of their vans, and their subsequent detainment by the officers.
Dexter Smith reported that on Saturday, July 29, around 6 a.m. while en route to work, he discovered his Corvette and his brother’s Ford F-150 pickup vandalized with language.
“Then it had KKK, then it had another foul word on the back. Then it had the N-word on the very back of the truck,” Smith said to NBC DFW 5.
“This type of activity and the phrases spray painted on the vehicles have no place in our city,” said Arlington Police Sgt. Courtney White.
According to FOX 4, the teenagers targeted multiple blocks in the area.
Arlington Police Department issued a statement on Wednesday, Aug. 2, revealing that they identified two juvenile teenage boys and a 17-year-old male, who is considered a legal adult in Texas, with the help of a residential surveillance video. The footage captured the teens in a white van.
The parents of each teen involved have been notified of the crimes the kids are charged with.
Using information from the APD’s Real Time Crime Center, detectives were able to identify the vehicle that they were in during the time of the vandalism.
“These incidents didn’t just impact the people whose vehicles were vandalized – they affected and upset the entire Arlington community,” said Chief of Police Al Jones in a statement.
“The phrases and images spray painted on the vehicles were deeply offensive and have no place in our city. Through this investigation, we’re sending the message that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior and we will hold offenders accountable,” he continued.
Smith said his family is the only Black family on the block.
APD confirmed that the vandalism seems to have been random, affecting victims of various races, genders, and age groups. However, they are presently assessing the complete extent of damages caused by the teenagers before deciding on formal charges.
The detectives are currently investigating the cases as criminal mischief, with the possibility of enhancing the charges, but they have not classified the incidents as hate crimes.
