A man who is suspected to be the one responsible for the “penis man” vandalism in Arizona was arrested. Image: Twitter/@fansofpenisman
A suspected vandal who allegedly wrote the words “penis man” all across Arizona, United States, was arrested by the police last Thursday, Jan. 23.
The 38-year-old man named Dustin Shomer was taken into custody by Tempe Police Department, The Arizona Republic reported on Jan. 25. Shomer is facing 16 counts of aggravated criminal damage, eight counts of criminal damage and one count of criminal trespassing in the first degree.
Shomer is believed to be responsible for the graffiti throughout Tempe and at the Arizona State University over the past few weeks.
The accused was arrested by “25 heavily armed SWAT officers” as per his statement from a taken-down post on the Unmodded Facebook group, cited by Phoenix New Times on Jan. 25.
According to Shomer, the police pointed a silenced assault rifle at his face. He also said that he spent five hours in police custody, during which he was given “nothing to eat,” before being sent to jail.
“Anyone with any doubt who the bad guys are here … be certain it is the City of Tempe, City of Phoenix, and police forces valleywide,” Shomer was quoted as saying. “There is no excuse for pointing an AR-15 in the face of a non-violent offender.”
He added that authorities refused to give him medical attention despite experiencing a “panic attack.”
Meanwhile, some netizens uploaded images of a few vandals attributed to the “penis man.” Others support the vandal. A Twitter account called Penis Man Fans looks for graffiti made by the vandal and documents them.
The words “penis man” are scribbled in abandoned tires and screens, as seen on the fan account’s post on Jan. 20.
Taken in the area of Roosevelt and Broadway. pic.twitter.com/KxOtxb87Mq
— Penis Man Appreciation Society (@fansofpenisman) January 20, 2020
The person has been going around Tempe since November, a netizen said. A coffeehouse chain also did not escape the vandal’s mark, as per one @PhillipAshtonX’s tweet on Jan. 20.
“Today while going to get coffee he done penisfied Starbucks!” the netizen said. “Then across the street too at a new building being remodeled.”
https://twitter.com/PhillipAshtonX/status/1219048765442547712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1219048765442547712&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.phoenixnewtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpenis-man-graffiti-tempe-police-investigation-tagging-spray-paint-11430357
The vandal also seems to be making a political statement through his markings. A bricked building was spray-painted with the words “rents down wages up” along with the words “penis man,” one @proteensaz posted last Tuesday, Jan. 21.
I'm willing to support whoever wins the dem primary as long as they have penis man's endorsement pic.twitter.com/vsZVZSIK4l
— Ball Enjoyer, Music Liker (@proteensaz) January 20, 2020
The netizen joked, “I’m willing to support whoever wins the dem primary (democratic party presidential primaries) as long as they have penis man’s endorsement.” Cha Lino/JB
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