Man Who Allegedly Vandalized Washington Monument Arrested
(UnitedVoice.com) – The Washington Monument is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. A remarkable piece of history, Abraham Lincoln was there when masons laid the cornerstone in 1848. After surviving an earthquake in 2011, the monument spent years under repair, reopening to a public eager to once again include it in their pilgrimage to the nation’s capital. To vandalize such a place may seem unfathomable.
On September 20, the United States Park Police (USPP) arrested Shaun Ray Deaton, 44, of Bloomington, Indiana, for defacing the Washington Monument. Deaton allegedly splashed paint on the base and wrote two sentences using vulgar language and anti-government messaging. He chose bright red for the color of his vandalism.
Nightly monument report. Someone has painted the the side with red paint. There is an individual in cuffs off to the side and police have blocked the area out to the grass. @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/s9HD84kPS0
— Katie Barlow (@katieleebarlow) September 20, 2022
The USPP released a statement that describes the seriousness of the crime. Deaton was on federal property, and the building he defaced wasn’t some warehouse by the docks somewhere. Restoration specialists have to repair the damage to the historic building, meaning it will, once again, close to the public.
Federal prosecutors filed initial charges of trespassing, tampering, and vandalism, but the USPP stressed in its statement that it might file further charges during the investigation.
There’s no telling how long the monument will remain closed this time.
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