HEARTLAND, Texas — Three were arrested in connection with a vandalism incident in Heartland in which a racial slur was spray painted on the community’s sign on Farm-to-Market (FM) 741 and Interstate 20.
HEARTLAND, Texas — Three were arrested in connection with a vandalism incident in Heartland in which a racial slur was spray painted on the community’s sign on Farm-to-Market (FM) 741 and Interstate 20.
Other arrests are anticipated in connection with several other vandalism incidents which were believed to be done in response to the original incident.
Overnight Friday, last week, vandals spray painted the N-word and poured soap in the fountain at the Heartland community sign. This incident was investigated by the Mesquite Police Department due to the sign’s location falling within their city limits.
“With the assistance of the Crandall Police Department, Mesquite Police Department investigators were able to develop suspects in the case,” Mesquite Police Department spokesperson Lt. Brian Parrish told inForney.com. “Investigators interviewed the suspects and received a confession.”
Arrested were 18-year-old Kruz Medrano and 17-year-old Joshua Patton, both of Crandall, according to Parrish. A third suspect, who at the time of the offense was a juvenile, was also arrested.
Patton and Medrano were charged with criminal mischief, $100-$750, which is a class B misdemeanor and carries a $1,000 bond.
In response to the original vandalism incident, the Crandall Police Department reported five incidents of vandalism the following night in the Heartland neighborhood.
Those incidents included an incident in which “F*** crakers” was painted on a homeowner’s fence, paint was spilled on someone’s vehicle, another vehicle was keyed, paint was reported on an area school, and another fence was painted but out of view of the general public.
Yesterday, the Crandall Police Department said at least three juvenile suspects had been identified in their cases. Its unknown Friday if those three had been arrested and charged at the time of press.
The community gathered yesterday for a unity prayer meeting.
