A 48-year-old man was arrested in Denton after allegedly causing major damage inside the Denton City Hall and extensive damage to the city manager’s office, according to a news release.
The suspect, David Lopez, is facing charges that include criminal mischief with a loss greater than $2,500 and less than $30,000, as well as criminal trespass for entering or remaining in a building after its closure without consent.
Lopez had reportedly already trespassed in the same location in October 2020 and was charged with criminal trespass at that time.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:07 p.m. on Friday, October 21. Denton police responded to a burglary-in-progress call at City Hall in the 200 block of East McKinney Street.
A city employee told police that a shirtless man had kicked a glass entry door numerous times before entering the City Hall building. The person also claimed that the suspect entered the city manager’s office suite and began causing a loud disturbance.
Law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and entered the building, where they saw items being thrown into the hallway outside of the city manager’s office hallway.
Officers could also allegedly hear crashing and banging noises of the items being damaged or destroyed in the offices.
After police requested the man to come out of the office, Lopez reportedly barricaded himself inside the offices and refused to respond to the officers’ repeated attempts to speak with him.
After Lopez was taken into custody, police were able to assess the damages.
The city manager’s office was described as suffering “total destruction,” according to a police report. The physical damages to the offices are estimated to be around $10,000 in losses.
Police claimed to find urine and fecal matter inside the office along with multiple broken electronics, shattered glass, an overturned and destroyed desk, damaged walls, and shattered personal items of sentimental value, among other damages.
Lopez has been booked into Denton city jail.