Incident: Broken Lobby Window

Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Time: 8:20 p.m.

Both superintendents and the building manager, we will call them (B, P and D/, building management) came to my dad's apparment door last night around 8:30 p.m. to notify him that my older brother (R) (39) years of age, who does not live or reside at the building, randomly showed up and broke one of the main panel windows (a really big window that is...) at the front of the building in the downstairs lobby and then fled from the area/building right after the incident had taken place. My brother (R) did so by throwing a rock from the front of the building outside downstairs through the lobby window shattering it and then fleeing from the area/building right after it happend. There was no fight between my dad and (R) as they never even seen eachother. (R) just randomly showed up to building out front from what we were told by other people and the management.

When (B, P, and D/building managment) came to my dad's apartment door to tell me and my dad about the incident, they both were stating that my dad is the one having to pay for the broken lobby window even though his son (R) was the one who broke it and does not live or reside at the building. My dad told them (B, P, and D) that my brother (R) is homeless and suffers from a wide range of mental health issues. My dad has zero relationship with my older brother (R), he also told (B P and D/building management) to call the police. My dad is being labeled as the accused in a sense and that he has to pay for the broken lobby window although my older brother was the one who broke it.

I (J, his youngest son) see this as unjust treatment towards my dad and he is actually the one who is being victimized by (B, P, and D/building management) regarding this incident. My dad is not responsible for an adult throwing a rock at an outside window. The building management knows that (R) does not live or reside at the building nor is he suppose to be at the building period. This has caused my poor dad an extreme of amount of anxiety, depression, psychological stress, stress (in general), physical trauma including chest pains and heart palpitations last night. My dad is a senior citizen, a heart attack patient and survivor. The incident has been caught on the lobby camera at the front of the building. (B, P and D) have taken pictures of the broken lobby window. My dad and me both also went downstairs to take pictures of the broken lobby window that my brother smashed.

My dad who is (66) years of age refuses to pay for the broken lobby window which my very troubled and mentally ill brother (R) was the one who broke the lobby window.

My dad also called the Police and basically explained all of this to them when they got here moments after the incident.

The Police Arrived: 20 minutes later at/around approximately: 9:10 p.m. to take statements from my dad and the building management regarding this incident in the downstairs lobby.

I am basically writing this for my dad just to make sure and seek advise for him on how to go about the situation at hand. My dad is a very old school kind of guy and is also ready to get a lawyer if building management tries billing him for the broken lobby window in which my dad didn't break.

Questions: Looking for advise.

1. What should my dad do?

2. Do they have the right to bill my dad or evict him?

3. Can my dad sue the building managment or owner if they try billing or evicting him over this incident?

I (J, his youngest son) am documenting everything for my dad regarding this incident and reaching out for advice in taking the right steps moving forward. Thank you for reading this post, feel free to comment or reply.

Sincerely, J.