16 November 2023
EMPORIA (KSNT) – The Emporia Police Department said an individual was arrested in connection to a vandalism incident that damaged a nonprofit studio in Emporia.
At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, officers responded to reports of a possible burglary at the Kansas Free for Arts studio in the 700 block of Commercial Street. The investigation found no items were stolen but several were damaged.
Officers determined an employee of the business caused the vandalism. The EPD identified and arrested the individual believed to cause the damage.
Owner of Kansas Free for Arts, Hank Osterhout, took to Facebook where he shared a video of the damage done to the studio. He said shortly after the video, friends were showing up to offer elbow grease and support.
Guitars, instruments, a drum set and a custom guitar amp Osterhout searched for years to find were destroyed. Osterhout said it looked like the vandal had tried to start a fire in the studio and then put it out with a fire extinguisher.
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