A report of nighttime graffiti painting in a city park in northeast Salem led to the arrest of four juveniles and the seizure of two handguns, according to Salem police.
The agency said in a news release Sunday, Aug. 11, that a neighbor reported around 2:30 a.m. Saturday that graffiti had been sprayed on the fence at Hoover Park. The park is located behind Hoover Elementary School, which is on Northeast Savage Road between Northeast D Street and Ellis Avenue.
When police officers arrived, four teenagers fled in a car and then stopped just blocks from the park, authorities said.
The two handguns were in the car, but police did not say whether they were loaded.
Arrest warrants had already been issued against a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old, but authorities were unable to provide any information about them on Sunday. The other two arrested were also 16 years old.
Each of the juveniles faces charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree trespassing. They have been placed in custody of the Marion County Juvenile Justice Department.
The Salem agency noted that neighborhood parks like Hoover are closed daily from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
STORY TIP OR IDEA? Email the Salem Reporter news team: (email protected).
Just a moment, please -If you found this story useful, please consider subscribing to the Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work like this, done by local professionals, relies on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment to subscribe now – it’s easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.
Les Zaitz is publisher and CEO of the Salem Reporter. He co-founded the news organization in 2018. He has been a journalist in Oregon for nearly 50 years, working for both daily and local newspapers and digital news services. His commitment to local journalism is nationally recognized. He is also editor and publisher of the Malheur Enterprise in Vale, Oregon.
