Teen facing numerous charges after Nazi graffiti, hate messages spray-painted on Sylvan Park homes in 2023
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — More than a year after swastikas and hate messages were spray-painted on five homes in Nashville’s Sylvan Park area, police announced a young Alabama man — an alleged member of a white supremacist group — has been arrested.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the vandalism occurred at homes on Westlawn Drive, and Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho Avenues during the early morning hours on March 19, 2023.
Officials said surveillance video from one of the houses shows two masked men approaching the porch before one of them quickly sprayed paint over the camera lens. Then, the pair reportedly spray-painted hate messages on the property and stole a Colombian flag.
In response to the hate messages, Metro Police Chief John Drake immediately ordered an enhanced law enforcement presence in the Sylvan Park area.
MARCH 2023: Neighbors respond with ‘love’ following Sylvan Park vandalism
Authorities said they identified the 19-year-old — who was 17 when the vandalism occurred — at the end of 2023 and obtained Juvenile Court arrest orders.
Earlier in the week, detectives from the Specialized Investigations Division learned the 19-year-old was likely to be at a concert event in the Madison area on Sunday, May 26, according to police. The teen was spotted and taken into custody without incident.
APRIL 2023: TSU professor speaks out after home vandalized with racist, anti-Semitic graffiti
The 19-year-old — whose identity has yet to be shared — is being charged with five counts of vandalism, five counts of engaging in a criminal conspiracy, five counts of criminal trespassing, five counts of civil rights intimidation, and one count of theft.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
