A Stoneham man is facing charges after he allegedly vandalized the town’s war memorial with red spray paint on Thursday, officials said.
The man, 24, was not identified by name. He will be summoned to Woburn District Court and charged with damaging property and assault with a dangerous weapon, the Stoneham Police Department said.
At 11:30 a.m., police responded to reports from a Department of Public Works employee that an individual wearing a mask and sunglasses was behaving strangely near the veterans memorial, the statement said.
Police said the employee saw the memorial defaced with lines and words written in red spray paint.
The employee followed the individual and informed police of his location.
The individual also allegedly waved a knife at the employee, the statement said.
Advertisement
After the suspect was located, officers determined he was suffering from a mental health crisis, and he was transported to a hospital for evaluation, the statement said.
Stoneham DPW has since removed the spray paint from the memorial.
“War memorial is a sacred space that remind us of the sacrifices made for our freedoms,” Chief James O’Connor said. “To see it defaced is painful for our community and our veterans…we will continue to protect these sites with the respect they deserve.”
Camille Bugayong can be reached at camille.bugayong@globe.com.