One Arrested, Others Sought for Racist Graffiti Vandalism at Anza School

ANZA (CNS) – Riverside County sheriff’s investigators Wednesday were attempting to identify two people who joined a 17-year-old boy in allegedly marking up an Anza elementary school with racist graffiti.

According to sheriff’s officials, the vandalism occurred about 10:30 p.m. April 4 at Hamilton Elementary School at 57550 Mitchell Road.

The graffiti was discovered the following morning when staff arrived for a special teaching session involving less than a dozen students while the campus was on spring break, officials said.

The specific words painted on the building were not disclosed, though according to a sheriff’s statement, they were "graphic."

A possible motive, outside of racist expressions, was not mentioned.

Investigators said security surveillance video from the location was obtained, culminating in one of the suspects, a Ventura boy, being identified. He was arrested and booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall Monday on suspicion of making criminal threats and felony vandalism. The youth was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

His alleged cohorts’ identities remain unknown. However, detectives are continuing to follow up leads, officials said.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the sheriff’s Hemet station at 951-791-3400.

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