A 71-year-old woman has turned herself in to police after allegedly vandalizing several books at a public library in Grand Junction, Colorado, including titles focused on transgender and LGBTQ topics.
According to the Grand Junction Police Department, Marty Mykytiuk surrendered to authorities on December 24 and was issued a summons for criminal mischief related to the incident. The vandalism occurred earlier in December at the Mesa County Public Library.
Police say Mykytiuk removed multiple books from library shelves, tore pages from them, and discarded the damaged materials in a trash receptacle inside the building. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the suspect carrying an armful of books into a secluded area of the library before disposing of them.
Library officials confirmed that the damaged titles included “When Harry Became Sally,” “Love and Resistance,” “Transgender Teen,” and “Beyond Trans: Does Gender Matter.” The estimated cost to repair or replace the books was reported to be just under $100.
The damage was discovered by library staff, who contacted law enforcement after finding torn pages and discarded materials. Police later identified Mykytiuk through surveillance footage and issued a request for her to come forward, which she did voluntarily.
In a statement, a Mesa County Libraries spokesperson addressed the incident, saying in part, “We respect that individuals may have differing views, but damaging library property denies access to others and violates our Code of Conduct.”
Authorities have not released additional information regarding motive, and no determination has been made about whether the vandalism was ideologically motivated. The case remains pending as it proceeds through the local court system.
Library officials have not announced any changes to access policies or security measures following the incident.
