ATLANTA — Atlanta Police said charges are on the way after identifying several drivers believed to be responsible for damaging the iconic Midtown rainbow crosswalk.
In an update posted to social media, Deputy Chief of APD's Community Services Division, Carven Tyus said the unit had identified the drivers and their vehicles. They left skid marks on the colorful crosswalk, a popular scene on 10th and Piedmont.
"We had a group of individuals who decided to come into our city and violate our traffic laws by defacing our Midtown rainbow crosswalks on Piedmont and 10th," Tyus said. "Now not only were those actions destructive in nature, but they were also dangerous to the individuals and the spectators involved."
Police have been investigating for weeks after the crosswalks were damaged by cars doing doughnuts and laying drag twice during February.
After utilizing surveillance footage and social media, investigators said the culprits responsible for defacing the iconic Atlanta landmark are not residents of the city "but simply people who drove into our city to conduct their foolishness," as phrased by Tyus.
According to Tyus ' update, law enforcement from other jurisdictions and state and federal authorities have been asked to investigate alongside APD to help make arrests. However, the officer said the investigation is still fluid.
The rainbow crosswalks, a nod to Atlanta's growing LGBTQ+ community in the area, were first temporarily installed in 2015. They have been a permanent part of Atlanta's midtown landscape for at least seven years, with speculation that the damage was an assault to the community. The city took over the project in 2017- paying $196,000 to make them permanent.
Tyus addressed the concern during his update.
"While we have no reason to believe this is nothing more than reckless driving, we will explore all options until this investigation has concluded," he said.
However, the officer did emphasize that dangerous stunts will have consequences.
"So if you come into our city to conduct this kind of illegal activity, you will be identified and you will be arrested," he said.