50 WeGo bus stops vandalized in three-week span, authorities investigating

EAST NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and WeGo Public Transit officials are working to find answers after dozens of bus stop windows were found smashed over the weekend. It’s a growing trend that authorities say they have been monitoring.

In a statement to News 2, a MNPD spokesperson said in part:

“MNPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the person or persons who vandalized as many as 50 WeGo bus shelters over the last three weeks, including 20 this weekend. The glass enclosures around the stops were either partially or totally shattered.

Most of the vandalism has occurred along Gallatin Pike in East Nashville and 12 ^th Avenue South in Edgehill. Additional vandalized shelters have been reported in downtown, Madison, Germantown, West End Avenue, and South Nashville.”

Metro Nashville Police Department

Ryan Dugan lives in the East Nashville community. He told News 2 he was out for a drive Sunday when he snapped pictures of the damage and posted them to Facebook.

“Thirteen years ago when we moved here it was a different place,” said Dugan. “We kept going down the road and saw more and more bus stations smashed out with glass all over the ground.”

On Monday, News 2 drove for miles along Gallatin Pike and observed damage seen at stops along Gallatin Pike at Douglas Avenue, West Greenwood Avenue, and Main Street. The damage limited where riders waiting for their buses could sit. The situation has frustrated some WeGo riders.

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“I get disgusted,” Mark Flowers told News 2 as he waited with his family to catch the bus. “Why do people want to live like this and what kind of home training, if it is kids, what kind of home training do they have.”

Crews were out at the affected bus stops Monday afternoon sweeping up glass and replacing shattered windows. The problem is a part of a costly spike in crime relating to WeGo property. It remains unclear when all of the repairs will be completed.

“Each glass panel is several hundred dollars,” said Eric Melcher, the public information officer for WeGo. “This really is a public asset and when someone does damage like this is takes it away from everybody.”

According to Melcher, dealing with the damage takes away from work on positive projects. “It’s disheartening mainly because these folks should be out improving shelters for other riders, which is something that we’ve been doing for some time now. We put in 300 shelters just within the last few years. That’s taking from this work,” said Melcher.

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“Hopefully somebody saw something because eventually we have to pay for this. I don’t know if they’re ever going to catch this guy, but he’s not going to pay for it. Eventually taxpayers have to pay for it,” said Dugan when asked if he’s optimistic the person responsible will be found.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 .  Metro police say callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward.

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