Tennessee Police Charge New Jersey Teen in Smokey Statue Vandalism Case
University of Tennessee Police have charged 19-year-old Beckett Edward Nachtman of New Jersey with felony vandalism for damaging the Smokey statue located outside Gate 21 Plaza on campus.
Chattanooga, TN, October 14, 2026 —
University of Tennessee Police have charged Beckett Edward Nachtman, 19, of New Jersey, with felony vandalism in connection with damage to the Smokey statue on campus, according to the information provided.
The statue is located outside Gate 21 Plaza. The information identifies Nachtman as the person charged and describes the allegation as damaging the statue. It does not provide further details about the alleged damage or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The charge is an allegation. No information was provided about Nachtman’s response, whether he has legal representation, or whether he has entered a plea. The date of the alleged vandalism and the date the charge was filed were also not specified.
The information provided does not state the estimated cost of any damage, whether repairs have begun, or whether the statue remains in place. It also does not include details about any police investigation, court proceedings, or a scheduled hearing.
No additional charges, possible penalties, or statements from police or Nachtman were included in the summary. Those details remain unspecified in the information available for this report.
Story summarized from the original created by McKenzie Hughes on www.wdef.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
