Salt Lake City police arrest three teenagers of vandalizing local park
Sep 2, 2023, 8:46 PM
A Salt Lake City Parks employee cleans up after two men caused extensive, gang-related, damage at Jackson Park (Salt Lake City Police Department)
(Salt Lake City Police Department)
SALT LAKE CITY — Two men and a teenage girl are accused of spray painting gang symbols on a Salt Lake City park Friday night.
The Salt Lake City Police Department said officers responded to a vandalism call at approximately 10:30 p.m. The caller reported three people inside Jackson Park, on 781 West 500 North, using blue spray paint to damage the park.
Police say the responding officers quietly arrived in the area and began watching the three suspects from a distance.
“Officers coordinated a plan to quickly move into the park and arrest the suspects as they damaged the surfaces, including the park’s signs, walls, picnic tables, ground, slides, and even the trees inside the park,” the SLC PD press release stated. “As the officers walked into the park, they could smell fresh spray paint in the air.”
According to the police affidavit, officers noticed the symbols were from known and notorious gangs.
SLC PD officers contacted the suspects, Elijah Carter, 18, Macen Loutensock, 19, and an unidentified female juvenile. They took the three into custody without further issue.
According to police, officers found a blue spray paint can nearby and Carter and Loutensock with blue paint on their hands.
According to the affidavit, both men refused to speak to police after being read their Miranda rights. Both suspects wore symbols connecting them to a prominent gang, with Loutensock being a known gang member.
“(Carter) emitted a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage, slurred when he spoke and used racial expletives not aligning with their intended offensiveness,” stated the affidavit.
Our officers, working with our Gang Unit, have arrested two men who are accused of causing significant, gang-related, damage to Jackson Park.
We would like to thank the Parks Division for quickly responding.
Details and video: https://t.co/it8rpHZk6A#SLC #SLCPD #SaltLakeCity pic.twitter.com/qm5ZL7e7HW
— Salt Lake City Police (@slcpd) September 2, 2023
Police say Loutensock drove his car to the scene and the car was impounded by officers after Loutensock was arrested. While taking inventory of Loutensock’s car, police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.
Carter was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for a felony charge of property damage loss greater or equal to $5,000 and misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass with the intention of crime, and intoxication.
Loutensock was booked for a felony charge of property damage loss greater or equal to $5,000 and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance marijuana/spice, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On Saturday, the Salt Lake City Parks began cleaning the park by covering the spray paint and washing it down.
