ATLANTA — Glacier's Italian Ice, a beloved shop offering a youth entrepreneurship program to Atlanta teens was left vandalized Friday night.
The program's director, Ian Elmore-Moore, reached out stating that the front doors of the store were destroyed and the exterior murals defaced with "racist imagery."
Atlanta Police said it appears a man threw a rock at the front door, causing the glass to shatter. Officers add that a suspect was identified and charged for disorderly conduct. He was also taken to Grady Hospital because officers said he was "suffering a crisis."
Elmore-Moore launched the entrepreneurship program back in 2021 to merge his hope for an Italian ice shop with the chance to help local teens.
"I saw what was going on with the Atlanta water boys," he told 11Alive during a previous story back in April. "The young men were being entrepreneurs starting their own business. But it wasn't structured. I saw an opportunity to hire young people to work these push carts in Atlanta, and it could be safe and it could be structured."
Thankfully, Elmore-Moore said no one was hurt and they plan on continuing operation on Tuesday with push carts until the store itself can be fixed.
"We will not let evil steal our joy. We are courageous and the community in which we reside truly needs us," he added. "We are dedicated to keeping the most underserved youth safe, educated and employed."
Glaciers Italian Ice | Vandalism
On Instagram, Elmore-Moore showcased some of the damage done to the storefront.
The store currently has a GoFundMe running to raise money for the cost of repairs. The link can be viewed here.