Lavender District Businesses Vandalized In Early Morning Spree
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento's Lavender District was hit by a vandal, leaving behind shattered windows as businesses gear up for Pride weekend.
A Sacramento man is now behind bars for the destructive crime spree.
The vandalism happened at the intersection of K and 20th, and some businesses said it was not the first time.
Shards of glass on the ground from a $2,000 front door at Badlands bar was one example of some of the damage Johnathan Cameron says he witnessed as a man went on a window breaking spree in Midtown's Lavender Heights.
"He literally stepped through the broken glass, grabbed the brick, and proceeded to go to Mango's to go after their windows," said Johnathan Cameron, Manager of Badlands.
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At about 5 a.m., four businesses were damaged before police stopped the accused vandal.
"Officers suspected based on his behavior that he may be under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating substance, based on that he was taken to an area hospital and then arrested for multiple charges," said Chad Lewis with Sacramento Police.
Wesley White is behind bars tonight charged with public intoxication, multiple counts of vandalism and burglary. The crime spree happened in a gay-friendly part of Sacramento. But some local businesses say they believe the crime has more to do with the growing number of homeless in the area.
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"I can just say that the amount of vandalism that is happening in this area is growing," said Cameron.
In fact, Mango's restaurant, one of the businesses hit Thursday morning, still has a boarded up broken window from a similar incident months ago.
Managers say they've been virtually problem free for eight years, until recently.
"We've never had any incidents like this and then this year we've had three already and they've all been transient related," said Alyssa Gomez of Mango's.
