Chula Vista police are investigating vandalism at an Otay Mesa elementary school over the weekend as a hate crime, school and police officials said Monday.
Officers were called out to the Enrique Camarena Elementary School on Exploration Falls Drive on Sunday to investigate graffiti at the school. There were spray-painted messages — racial slurs, swastikas and other words and symbols — left on walls and doors at the school.
There also was spray paint left on a mural within a gated portion of the campus. Police took a report and left, said Sgt. Anthony Molina.
District officials believe the initial batch of graffiti was either left on campus Saturday night or early Sunday, a school district spokesperson said.
Late on Sunday, a custodian was cleaning up graffiti when he spotted someone on the Otay Ranch campus and called police out again. Officers searched but were unable to find anyone.
Early Monday, a reporter from a local TV news station was at the school when she discovered newer graffiti at the front of the campus with similar messaging as the earlier graffiti. Police believe the tags were created after officers left the campus, sometime between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Molina said school resource officers have been at the campus working closely with school staff and will be investigating both incidents as felony hate crimes that resulted in thousands of dollars in damage.
The school’s principal sent a message to parents on Sunday about the vandalism, a district spokesperson said.
“Please know that the Chula Vista Elementary School District condemns this type of behavior,” the letter stated. “The safety of students and staff remains the highest priority.”
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or submit tips anonymously online.
