Pittsburgh police seek info on Mario Lemieux statue vandal, other suspects from Downtown protest
Pittsburgh police on Tuesday released photos of three people they say were involved in causing damage during Downtown Pittsburgh protests on May 30, including a woman who allegedly defaced the Mario Lemieux statue outside of PPG Paints Arena.
The photos come from the Damage Assessment and Accountability Taskforce, which was born out of two protests that ended in vandalism and violence over the past two weeks in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis.
In addition to the woman police allege spray-painted the Lemieux statue near the lower arena entrance on Centre Avenue, the photos also capture an alleged looter from the May 30 demonstrations and a man alleged to have thrown a projectile at police.
Authorities are asking the public for help identifying the three individuals. Information can be sent to the taskforce at DAAT@pittsburghpa.gov.
The taskforce, called DAAT and made up of local, state and federal law enforcement, has already identified and arrested a Pittsburgh man alleged to have planted a backpack of homemade explosives Downtown on May 31. Police charged 52-year-old Matthew Michanowicz late last week and said security footage showed him putting the backpack down and walking away.
Police seek help IDing three suspects from May 30, including:
= A woman who defaced the Mario Lemieux statue at PPG Arena.
= A looter in a Downtown business.
= A male throwing a projectile at police.Send tips to DAAT@Pittsburghpa.gov.https://t.co/2uJur96tq3 pic.twitter.com/rhcJJpoJQR
— Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) June 9, 2020
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