Four teenagers were arrested early Tuesday morning and could face hate crime charges after police say they stole and cut up Pride flags outside one of Atlanta’s most well-known gay bars.
Atlanta police say they responded to a vandalism call at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday at the intersection of 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue. Witnesses told police that six males stole Pride flags and were cutting them up with a knife and riding around on scooters in the middle of the intersection, the site of the rainbow crosswalks. It’s unclear where the flags came from.
“Upon spotting officers, the six males fled the scene on motorized scooters,” Atlanta police said in a statement. “Thanks to the rapid response of our officers, four of the six males were apprehended.”
4 suspects in Pride flag vandalism could face hate crime charges
A preliminary police investigation reveals that the group coordinated and drove from the Dallas and Cartersville areas to Atlanta. The arrestees are one 16-year-old juvenile from Taylorsville and three others from Dallas, Georgia: 17-year-old Geami McCarroll, 18-year-old Logan Matthison and 18-year-old Ahmed Mechkouri.
They were charged with obstruction, criminal damage to property, conspiracy and prowling. Atlanta police say that hate crime charges are pending, but a prosecutor would have to decide whether to file such charges. Georgia passed a hate crime law in 2020 that allows enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by the victim’s race, religion, sexual orientation or other factors.
Police also issued a citation to Aaron Petrus, the 41-year-old father of the juvenile, for failing to supervise his son.
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Author: Dillon B
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