Chula Vista police are investigating a possible hate crime after school staff found graffiti of racial slurs and other hate-based symbols painted on the outside of an elementary school building over the weekend.
School staff say they found racial slurs for more than one race, swastikas, and other “concerning” words and symbols early Sunday morning spray-painted on several areas of the Enrique Camarena Elementary School.
Chula Vista police officers began their investigation at the school Sunday afternoon.
According to police, the graffiti was found in several areas, mostly on the front of the school.
However, later Sunday, police say a custodian cleaning the graffiti called police back to the school around 11 p.m. after reporting seeing someone. The police department says officers responded but didn’t find anyone at the time.
The next morning, the police department says more graffiti depicting similar symbols was found on the front of the school. Officers checked the area Sunday night, so they determined the new graffiti was spray painted sometime between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday.
