
A resident of Happy Valley, Oregon was arrested by Oregon City police on Thursday for spray painting a swastika on a sidewalk memorial for a man who recently died in the county jail.
Colin Williams, 20, was charged with second degree criminal mischief, abuse of a memorial and a second degree bias crime, KGW reported.
Police stated that on Tuesday evening a memorial for deceased Clackamas County jail inmate Jermelle Madison on the sidewalk of an Oregon City intersection was vandalized.
Madison was found dead on June 28 in his cell, reported MSN.
A large swastika was spray painted on the sidewalk memorial. Candles and picture frames were also vandalized.
According to police, Clackamas County Administration said that Williams was a county employee.
He was identified by local store owners who gave the police a list of anyone who had recently purchased spray paint. A vehicle belonging to Williams was also captured in surveillance footage near the memorial around the time the incident occurred.
Additionally, police said they found a video Williams had allegedly posted on social media under a different name in which he filmed himself destroying the memorial. It was captioned "I unenthusiastically commit a hate crime.”
A subsequent post said: "I also spray-painted a fun German windmill on the sidewalk for good measure. DM for the pic."
Oregon City police stated that they discovered spray paint and other incriminating evidence in Williams’ vehicle.
According to the police, Williams admitted to being behind the swastika and destruction at the memorial site.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)