A teenager was arrested Friday on suspicion of repeatedly vandalizing an elementary school with graffiti featuring racial slurs and swastikas, Chula Vista police said.

The first set of markings was found on Aug. 18 on several walls, doors and a large mural at Enrique Camarena Elementary School on Exploration Falls Drive, police said. The next morning, after parents and school staff spent hours cleaning up and covering up the graffiti, new, similar writing was found at the front of the campus.

Security measures were in place, but staff members reported finding more hateful graffiti at the back of the school on Wednesday, police said. The markings, which included racial epithets for multiple races, are estimated to have caused thousands of dollars in damage.

After an extensive investigation, a 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incidents around 7 p.m. at a local high school football game, police said. Meanwhile, detectives served a search warrant at his home in Chula Vista, not far from the elementary school. The teen is charged with a felony hate crime and vandalism.

Chula Vista police said investigators worked with school resource officers, who interviewed residents, students and staff — conversations that eventually led to the identification of the teenage suspect. Federal authorities and the Anti-Defamation League also were consulted by police.

“I want the community to know that as a parent, I have recognized their fears and concerns from the beginning,” Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy wrote in a press release. “While we were unable to discuss our specific strategies publicly, my department has made finding the individual responsible for causing this fear a top priority. These hateful acts are unacceptable and we will not tolerate this behavior in our community. I am grateful to the FBI and members of our local school staff and community for coming together to help us put a quick end to this.”

Although an arrest has been made, school resource officers are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Originally published: August 24, 2024 at 6:55 PM