Tennessee Capitol walls spray-painted by lone vandal
Graffiti spray-painted onto the Tennessee State Capitol building in downtown Nashville was the work of a lone vandal, according to three surveillance videos that recorded the incident at 5:30 a.m. Sunday.
"RIP Tony Al" and "GET OUT" were painted on the front entrance area of the Capitol. Several designs resembling the anarchist symbol were spray-painted on the outer walls.
"Welcome to the Jungle'' was painted on one side of the building. Anarchy symbols were also found on the sidewalk entrance to the Capitol.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol, which handles security for the building, is investigating the videos through its Criminal Investigations Division, said Lt. Preston Donaldson.
Photographs of the graffiti were sent to the Metro Police Department. The spray-painting is not believed to be gang-related, said police spokeswoman Kristin Mumford, but gang unit detectives have been given the photographs.
"The investigation is being handled by the appropriate authorities," said David Smith, spokesman for Gov. Bill Haslam.
It's the second straight weekend of vandalism at the Capitol, building maintenance worker Bill Knight and Donaldson said.
Over the weekend of June 11-12, the building was defaced with eggs and margarine.
Whether the egging and graffiti incidents are connected is part of the investigation, Donaldson said.
As for the meaning of "RIP Tony Al," the top results for online Google searches for the phrase "Tony Al" included controversial preacher Tony Alamo, NBA basketball player Tony Allen, skateboarder Tony Alva and Tony Almeida, a fictional character.
High court denied Alamo's appeal
Alamo, who was convicted in 2009 of taking girls across state lines for sex, once had a Music Row church, a downtown mission and a clothing store in Nashville, called Tony Alamo of Nashville, that catered to country music stars.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court refused an appeal to have Alamo's sentence overturned or reduced. He was sentenced to 175 years in prison for child sexual abuse.
Donaldson wouldn't confirm or deny whether the phrase "RIP Tony Al" had any connection to Alamo but said it would "have to be part of the investigation.''
Longtime cleric the Rev. Joseph Breen of St. Edward Catholic Church remembered Alamo's ministry in the 1970s and '80s in Nashville.
"I don't know whether it refers to him, but regardless, it's vandalism, bad judgment, and it should be prosecuted,'' Breen said.
Work was under way Monday morning to clean up the spray paint by WASCO Inc., and worker Tommy Sharpe projected it would be completed by the end of the day.
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