Lawrence Hopkins, at left, is accused of vandalism and property damage at several sites in Boston on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, including the Granary Burying Ground, seen at right.
The man accused of damaging Boston's Holocaust memorial and Paul Revere's tombstone on a "one-man crime spree" through the city's downtown this weekend made several outbursts as he appeared in court Monday.
Lawrence Hawkins is accused of damaging 20 tombstones, including the Revolutionary War hero's, and leaving a trail of broken windows at eight sites, including federal buildings, a police cruiser, two steakhouses and the New England Holocaust Memorial. He was charged with vandalism, malicious destruction of property and injuring a religious building.
Hawkins, 46, allegedly threw bricks and rocks into the buildings and historic sites, and was only arrested after Boston police tracked his movements to the Massachusetts State House, where he'd allegedly scaled a fence before being taken to a shelter for the unhoused. Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Samuel Jones described it as "his own one-man crime spree in downtown Boston."
When a Boston Municipal Court judge ordered he be held for a mental health evaluation, Hawkins clapped — his third outburst at Monday's hearing, including a profanity-laced tirade at Jones. He was also held on $7,500 bail in each of the three charges, and is still due to face charges of the vandalism that took place on federal property.
The $22,500 bail was more than prosecutors had asked for. The judge noted he was basing that amount on the three cases in front of him, not the federal charges, which were set to be brought separately, as well as on Hawkins' nearly 30-year criminal history in Massachusetts. Hawkins was ordered to stay away from national cemeteries, federal buildings, the Holocaust memorial and the businesses that were damaged.
Hawkins' attorney agreed that a mental evaluation was appropriate, saying the man is a father and former construction worker who lives at a shelter. Jones noted that Hawkins has a mental health history that includes diagnoses of schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"My goal is to make sure that he gets the help and service that he needs to be stabilized to see if he understands the nature of the charges against him, which he does not seem to at this time," said Robert Glotzer, Hawkins' defense attorney, who also noted that he's had challenges trying to speak with the man so far.
Boston police officers first responded to the area of 125 Charles Street South around 11:31 p.m. Saturday for a report of breaking and entering, police said. Upon arrival, officers saw the front door of the business had been smashed and there was a brick inside the building. After checking surveillance video, police broadcast a description of the suspect, who was later identified as Hawkins.
Shortly after midnight, an officer found his assigned marked cruiser had its windshield smashed, and again police broadcast a description of the suspect after reviewing surveillance video, police said. Later Sunday morning, police responded to the area of 15 Sudbury Street for a broken window and a further investigation revealed the suspect description was similar to the prior two incidents.
Police used surveillance video to follow the man's activity and saw him throw an unknown item at the Holocaust Memorial, located at 98 Union Street. Responding officers found a brick on the ground and damage to the memorial, police said.
Just after 3 a.m., officers were called to 15 Court Square, where a glass window had been broken at the back of the business. Another window was broken at a nearby business located at 201 Washington Street. After viewing more surveillance video, police again identified the same suspect, police said.
They followed the man's movements through surveillance video. Police said they saw him enter the Southampton Street Shelter — Jones said at the court hearing that he had been taken to a shelter by state troopers who spotted him hop the fence at the State House.
Officers entered the shelter around 4:30 a.m. and arrested Hawkins, who matched the description from the prior vandalism incidents, police said.
Later that morning, around 10:44 a.m., police received a report of vandalism to the Granary Burying Ground in the area of Tremont and Bromfield streets. Officers were told that multiple tombstones on the property had been vandalized, including that of Paul Revere, police said. Fourteen tombstones were vandalized by being pulled from the ground of broken into pieces. Continuing their investigation, officers noticed six more tombstones located in the adjacent King's Chapel Burying Ground were also vandalized.
After viewing additional surveillance video, police say they confirmed the suspect matched Hawkins' description, who had been arrested.
