LONGMONT, Colo. — Longmont's oldest standing church was one of the seven buildings damaged amid a string of vandalism in the city Wednesday morning.
Ten stained glass windows at Saint Stephen's Episcobal Church were shattered, according to Alyce Desantis, the executive director of St. Vrain's Historical Society, the organization that owns the church.
"The suspect threw a rock through them," Desantis said. "One of them had a chair lodged in the middle of it. One, the rock flew all the way across the building and hit another window."
The church was built in 1881, playing a vital role in the city's development. It was designated as a historical landmark in 1974.
Desantis said the artist who restored the stained glass windows in the 1970s has since passed away.
"He's no longer available to help us with this. So we've been working with other local stained glass artists to see how they can help," Desantis said. "The first person we talked says she was booked out for two years."
The Longmont Police Department took 37-year-old Juan Salas into custody Wednesday on several felony criminal mischief charges. Authorities believe Salas, a transient, broke the windows of several city buildings, including the civic center, city library and another historical building that once housed the Carnegie Library.
An arrest affidavit states that Salas told police he consumed methamphetamines and was not planning on vandalizing the buildings.
Longmont assistant city manager Sandra Seader said the crimes were unprecedented. She said the suspect "started walking down this block, just throwing large rocks at each of these windows and smashing them out as they went.
"I've been with the city for over 20 years, and I've not seen anything like this before," she said.
The city estimates $19,000 of damages to Longmont property. Desantis said damage to the church is much more sentimental.
She welcomed anyone who would like to donate to the church to visit their website.
