A man named Jonathan Burns has been arrested for felony vandalism as authorities say that he spray-painted the Pride section of a Target store in Knoxville, Tennessee earlier this month.
Knoxville Police say that Burns, 31, went to the Target on Monday, June 13 at 2:49 p.m. and spray-painted the entire display for Pride clothing and merchandise. The arrest report accuses him of throwing the can of spray paint on the ground and then leaving the store.
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He was arrested over a week later on June 22 at his home in Knox County after Knoxville Police posted screenshots of surveillance video to social media.
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Fingerprints from the can of spray-paint match Burns’ fingerprints, police said. The arrest report said that there is evidence he bought the spray-paint and a bucket at another store just before he went to the Target.
He is accused of causing $3,884 worth of damage to merchandise and clothing and $16 worth of damage to signage.
Burns is scheduled for an arraignment this Thursday. Class D felony vandalism in Tennessee comes with a sentence of two to 12 years in prison and up to $5000 in fines.
With @knoxsheriff's help, Jonathan Burns, 31, was arrested on a felony vandalism charge last night at his West Knox home after he was identified by investigators as the suspect from this incident. He is accused of spray-painting a section of LGBTQ+ Pride clothing & merchandise. https://t.co/tjc507iSaQ pic.twitter.com/jZaBvGKCU4
— Knoxville Police TN (@Knoxville_PD) June 23, 2022
