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Man Arrested For Vandalism Dressed As Joker Is A Convicted Killer

Man Arrested For Vandalism Dressed As Joker Is A Convicted Killer

One person died and six were injured when he ploughed into them in a stolen car in 2004

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

A man in Australia who was arrested for criminal damage while dressed as the Joker is a convicted killer.

Reece Sturgeon was arrested in Perth on Monday evening for allegedly spraying graffiti on a CCTV camera. Dressed in make-up and a suit reminiscent of the DC comic book villain, the 38-year-old laughed and dropped coins during his arrest.

He subsequently appeared in court in the same outfit and was charged with criminal damage and obstructing officers; however, he has faced far more serious charges in the past.

Sturgeon was convicted of manslaughter in 2006 after he ran over a group of teenagers in a stolen Mitsubishi Pajero in October 2004.

Yuan Zheng Feng, 17, died from his injuries four days later. Six others were also injured.

Regarding his latest charges, Sturgeon said the spray-painting was part of a 'prophetic' street art performance in protest against the Australian government's investment in the military.

Sturgeon is a convicted killer.
Nine News

Speaking outside court, he said: "It's just a bit of paint, it will rub off."

Sturgeon is due back in court in two weeks, and while his case may seem unusual, he is not the first to mimic the DC supervillain, who was most recently portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix.

In March, a man dressed in Joker costume was arrested for making threats to kill people during a Facebook Live video.

Jeremy Joseph Garnier was taken into custody in University City, a suburb of St. Louis in Missouri, on a first-degree felony charge of terrorist threat, according to a news release from the City of University City.

During the hour-long stream, Garnier explained how he spent $236 (£183) on the costume and was recording the video in a bid to 'end the epidemic of opiate addiction and overdose'.

Garnier was also arrested after mimicking Joker.
Warner Bros. Pictures

He went on: "So understand that, yes I'm chasing clout, yes I'm doing this for attention, but the attention I seek is to take over the world with a new concept. That opiates aren't cool. Heroin's for fools that want to die soon.

"I'm going to start killing people until this [video] reaches a thousand. Once it reaches a thousand, I'm going to go out in public and I'm going to kill more."

Garnier was arrested during the live-stream after viewers contacted the police. He was charged with a felony count of making a terrorist threat.

Garnier has eight burglary and theft convictions dating back to 1990.

Featured Image Credit: Nine News

Topics: World News, Joker, crime, Australia