Suspect Arrested in Vandalism of Denver Church, Blocks Away From Another Damaged Church

A fifty-year-old homeless man is in custody for allegedly hurling rocks at the windows of the Church of the Holy Ghost in downtown Denver.

Christopher Hart is currently facing one count of felony criminal mischief, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office. However, police say they believe Hart was involved in at least five recent vandalism cases.

The Denver Police Department received 22 reports of broken vehicle windshields and twelve reports of broken building windows downtown near Broadway from December 1 through January 7. That includes several attacks against Trinity United Methodist Church and vehicles parked nearby. Trinity United at Broadway and East 18th Avenue is only two blocks away from Holy Ghost at 19th and California streets.

“There have not been any cases since [Hart’s] arrest on January 14,” says a Denver Police Department spokesperson. “DPD is actively investigating the different cases to hold the individual or individuals accountable for these crimes.”

Hart is accused of breaking a window at Holy Ghost with a rock on January 9, according to his arrest affidavit. On the same day, he allegedly slashed the tires of two vehicles parked near the church. He was reportedly identified based on footage from the church’s surveillance cameras.

Both DPD and the District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on whether Hart is also suspected of vandalizing Trinity United.

“I have no knowledge as to why Mr. Hart or anyone else would want to target our church or our people in these ways,” says Reverend Paul Nguyen, pastor of the Church of the Holy Ghost.

Nguyen says someone started breaking windows and damaging vehicles in the area in mid-November. The church counted five vandalized vehicles in early January.

He estimates the damage will cost the church over $1,000 to repair. Four panes of protective glass were damaged, though the stained glass underneath is okay.

“For us, it is a hard line to maintain because we invite people who are desperate to come get help, risking that they might act out,” Nguyen adds. “But at the same time, we want to maintain our church as a place of prayer, healing and service to the community where we invite people to rise to the occasion of being their best. We need stable people to be here as an example to those struggling to get back on their feet, so we have to work extra hard to maintain a safe environment for the helpers, as we are seeing across healthcare, law enforcement and even education.”

Two blocks away, someone attacked Trinity United’s stained glass windows on January 4 and January 7, according to Paul Smith, chair of the board of trustees of Trinity United Methodist Church.

In one case, the vandal managed to break through the protective barrier and damage 140-year-old glass behind it. Smith estimates the repairs will cost upwards of $8,000.

Since November, twenty cars belonging to church members had their windshields smashed while parked in the area, according to reports to church staff.

Prior to Hart’s arrest, church officials said they didn’t believe they were being targeted by the vandal, noting that the string of vandalism incidents extended far beyond their church grounds and impacted many non-church members.

“It felt like someone disturbed,” explained Jerome Síbulo, director of music and arts ministry, whose car’s windshield was shattered outside the church on December 17.

“We’re in a neighborhood with a lot of unhoused people, and I don’t think this is characteristic of our experience with our neighbors there,” Smith told Westword at the time. “A lot of those people are very respectful of the church. Some of them are actually proactive in looking after the church, cleaning up trash and so forth.”

Trinity United is now installing security cameras, Smith says.

Holy Ghost is working with community partners and the city to remove nearby landscaping rock, Nguyen says, adding that the rock “poses a constant threat” for the church.

Hart has been arrested on numerous occasions dating back to 1994, including for theft, burglary, trespassing, obstruction and drug possession, according to records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. His most recent arrest was for misdemeanor property damage in Denver in 2009.

Hart is currently being held without bond in the Downtown Detention Center, according to inmate records. He is scheduled to appear in Denver County Court on February 18.

Anyone with information about any of the recent vandalism incidents is asked to contact the Denver Police Department or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.