The father of a man arrested in connection with vandalism at a Colorado mosque says his son was an Army medic who served in Iraq and Korea and is a "good man."
Michael Giaquinto told the Coloradoan that he doesn't think 35-year-old Joseph Scott Giaquinto vandalized the Islamic Center of Fort Collins, about 60 miles north of Denver, on Sunday. Police say someone overturned benches, broke windows and threw a Bible into the center.
Giaquinto says that if his son was found to be involved, it would just show that he "was in a kind of a bad place."
The younger Giaquinto was arrested Monday on suspicion of a bias-motivated crime, criminal mischief and trespassing soon after police released portions of surveillance video from the mosque near Colorado State University. Police haven't said what led them to him.
Army officials on Wednesday confirmed that Giaquinto was a medic in the Army, achieving the rank of sergeant before leaving the service in March 2012. Giaquinto served first in the active Army, from January 2003 to January 2011, before transferring to the Army National Guard. He served in the Guard from June 2011 to March 2012.
During his service, Giaquinto served at places such as Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, South Korea, and Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He also deployed to Iraq, from December 2003 to December 2004.
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and Combat Action Badge.
