MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man appeared before a judge days after surveillance video showed him smashing the windows of several businesses at a shopping plaza in Miami Beach, and officials said he had himself Baker Acted after the incident.
The security footage captured Vincent Johnson using a blunt object to bang on some of the windows, late last week.
“We got him on camera, and we recognized it was him immediately,” said business owner Victoria Rebagliati.
Business owners said they’d seen him at the shopping plaza before, but they never thought he’d do something like this.
“We’ve seen him in the area before, and he seemed harmless, but apparently he wasn’t,” said Rebagliati.
An arrest affidavit said Johnson used a long metal object to break the glass of businesses at the plaza, located in the area of Jefferson Avenue and Fifth Street.
“That’s what happened to our businesses, the whole plaza,” said business owner Malika Kosimova.
While the surveillance video is alarming, officials said, Johnson may be struggling with mental illness.
The arrest affidavit states he had himself Baker Acted after just one day after the incident.
Once Johnson was able to make his first court appearance on Thursday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer also made sure he was seeking the help he needed.
“Would you like to go to the hospital to receive a mental health treatment?” asked the judge.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Johnson.
The business owners have already started to replace the damaged windows, and they said their landlord is covering their expenses.
“He is trying to fix it. He said he is going to take care of that,” said Kosimova.
Johnson has been charged with criminal mischief. He will be held on $5,000 bond for every business that he vandalized.
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