Teen arrested after Pulse shooting memorial vandalised with truck
Dylan Brewer, 19, was arrested and charged after he used a truck to burn tire marks into a Pulse memorial crosswalk in Florida. (YouTube/DelrayBeachPolice)
A 19-year-old Florida man is facing criminal charges after a rainbow-coloured intersection mural dedicated to the victims and survivors of the 2016 Pulse shooting was vandalised.
The Delray Beach Police Department arrested Dylan Brewer of Clearwater, Florida on Monday (12 February) in relation to the act of vandalism at the LGBTQ+ intersection, according to a statement published on the city’s website.
Witnesses reported seeing Brewer performing multiple burnouts in a dark-coloured truck over the rainbow mural on the evening of 4 February, the statement continued.
The destructive action caused “significant damage to the streetscape painting” made to remember the 49 people and left 53 others injured during the 2016 Pulse shooting. The Florida city said the mural “serves as a symbol of unity and inclusivity for the LGBTQ community”.
Police said witnesses provided videos of the crime recorded on their mobile phones.
On Monday (12 February), Brewer turned himself in at the police station and was taken to the Palm Beach County jail. He didn’t provide any statement to the police.
He has been charged with felony criminal mischief over $1,000 and reckless driving.
Jail records showed Brewer was released from custody on Tuesday morning on $5,250 (£4,183) bail, Fox 13 News reported.
This is not the first time the Pulse memorial crosswalk – which was paid for by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation – has been vandalised.
The crosswalk features the traditional rainbow colours representing the queer community alongside white, pink and blue stripes for the trans community as well as black and brown stripes representing LGBTQ+ people of colour.
In 2021, Alexander Jerich was arrested after he vandalised the Pulse memorial crossing by performing damaging burnouts in his truck while taking part in a rally for Donald Trump’s birthday.
He pled guilty to felony criminal mischief and reckless driving charges in relation to the incident. A Florida judge ordered him to write a 25-page essay about the horrific shooting.
