Vandals shatter glass and peace in Fresno's Tower District

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Video obtained by Action News shows a man trying to pry his way into a Tower District business that is currently under construction.

About a month later, another person can be seen ripping plants from the front of the future MIA nightclub on Olive Avenue.

Owner Lewis Everk says he's spent roughly six thousand dollars on repairs because of all the vandalism.

Theresa Cardella was shocked by the video. She says friends who live in the area have told her they see similar incidents too often.

"People are just trying to make a living; it's really sad," said Cardella. "It's important for Fresno to have a walkable area, which I feel is one of the main places you can do that, and people just aren't feeling safe like they used to down here."

On Thursday, Component Coffee posted on social media that its windows were shattered for the 5th time since the shop opened in 2023.

Tape and cardboard now fill the cracks in their windows.

The Fresno Police says that if caught, a person can face the most common charge, a misdemeanor, but vandalism could lead to felony charges if the damage is more than four hundred dollars.

City Council President Annalisa Perea's area includes the Tower District, and she hopes more can be done to protect it.

"These criminals are getting away with the crimes that they are committing. So we are looking at different legal mechanisms that we have at the local level to more properly hold these in individuals accountable," said Perea.

Perea says over the last several years, the city has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to make the Tower District a welcoming space for Fresno.

In the coming weeks, she plans to do more outreach in the community to hear the concerns of people living and working in the area.
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