East Greenwich Man Vandalizes Car With Homophobic Slur: Police

East Greenwich RI

28 October, 2021

2:13 PM

Description

EAST GREENWICH, RI — An East Greenwich man was issued a summons by East Greenwich police after officers said he vandalized a car with a homophobic slur in the New England Institute of Technology parking lot. Thomas Ricci, 21, was charged with vandalism/malicious injury to property. Police said the vandalism happened on Oct. 19. Video footage showed a man wearing a backpack, alter identified as Ricci, walk to the west parking lot, climb a rock retaining wall, climb back down and then fall to the pavement, police said. After Ricci got up, he walked behind a car and crouched down. According to police, this is when Ricci made long scratches on the car's trunk and write/scratch a homophobic slur onto it. Police estimated there was $3,100 in damage done to the car. On Oct. 22, East Greenwich officers spoke to campus police and said they found a backpack in the parking lot. Police said Ricci was linked to the vandalism by his backpack, which contained a notebook, a bloody paper towel and a bloody cap. Ricci's name was written on the notebook, which contained homophobic rants written inside, police said. Inside the notebook was also course study information for Wheaton College. Police called the school, and they confirmed Ricci is a student there. Police later called Ricci and asked him if he lost his backpack. He said yes and told the officer he pulled into the New England Institute of Technology parking lot because he had a flat tire. Police then asked Ricci to come into the station for an interview to investigate the vandalism. Police told Ricci they had probable cause to charge him with the vandalism. It also appeared he was wearing the same pants he was wearing on campus security footage. Ricci was booked Tuesday and issued a summons to appear in court on Nov. 8. He also received a no trespass order from the New England Institute of Technology.