A Grand Junction man is accused of shooting multiple Flock security cameras with his grandfather’s rifle, according to law enforcement.
Eric Lazorishak, 30, faces numerous charges related to criminal mischief and prohibited use of a weapon. Police say Lazorishak shot several Flock surveillance cameras with a .22-caliber rifle late Sunday night.
Flock cameras are a license plate reader system that have been installed across the country. Their use has created controversy, with detractors saying the cameras violate privacy rights and help create a surveillance state.
Grand Junction police initially responded to a call late Sunday night of fireworks being set off in a parking lot at 2525 Rimrock Drive. When they arrived, the individuals who reported the call noted that a security camera in the parking lot had caught fire. Police then received a call of a man firing a rifle in another part of town, where they found another damaged camera near a hotel. The cameras appeared to have been shot, according to a police arrest affidavit.
Police say they identified Lazorishak’s truck via camera footage and found him at the home of an acquaintance early Monday morning, where he answered the door wearing a purple shirt, shorts and Crocs, the popular comfort sandal, that were decorated with Minions, the fictional yellow creatures predisposed to assist villainous figures, notably Gru, the protagonist of the “Despicable Me” franchise.
“Eric admitted he had been drinking earlier in the day before he was driving around. Eric was swaying while standing, slurring his words, and changing his story frequently,” police noted in their arrest report.
Lazorishak reportedly told police he often carried his grandfather’s .22 in his truck “for bears and safety” and told police it was the firearm he shot the cameras with.
After Lazorishak was arrested, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office discovered one of their cameras had also been shot, and added additional charges. Grand Junction Police estimated the value of the cameras at $2,500, while the Sheriff’s Office put the cost to replace at $3,000.
Reports of Americans destroying or vandalizing Flock cameras have popped up nationwide. In Houston a pair of cameras were cut in half and in Oakland vandals covered the systems with paint. Police departments have also come under scrutiny as officers have reportedly used them to stalk past romantic partners.
The American Civil Liberties Union has questioned the constitutionality of the camera systems for their infringement on privacy, going so far as to launch a campaign dubbed “Get the Flock Out!”
