{"id":11075,"date":"2018-07-20T19:55:50","date_gmt":"2018-07-20T19:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/20\/what-are-police-doing-about-the-seal-memorial-vandalism-case\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:56:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:56:11","slug":"what-are-police-doing-about-the-seal-memorial-vandalism-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/home\/left-column\/2018\/07\/20\/what-are-police-doing-about-the-seal-memorial-vandalism-case\/","title":{"rendered":"What are police doing about the SEAL memorial vandalism case?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In an early Friday morning arrest, authorities nabbed a New York teen they believe destroyed the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fourth Squad detectives from the Suffolk County Police took the unnamed 14-year-old boy into custody at his Ronkonkoma home at 3 a.m. on Friday, according to a statement released to Navy Times by Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree and will be arraigned at Suffolk County Family Court in Central Islip at a later date, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because he\u2019s a juvenile, officials declined to identify the suspect. He\u2019s accused of smashing the memorial into a dozen shards on Thursday at Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Park in the Long Island community of Lake Ronkonkoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although a $2,500 reward was offered through Crime Stoppers for information leading to his arrest, detectives didn\u2019t identify the suspect through a tip, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t