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A 15-year-old Marblehead High School student has been charged in connection with two incidents of hateful graffiti found on school property this week, police said Wednesday.
Police said graffiti discovered Monday and Tuesday included a racial slur and antisemitic symbols. The incidents were immediately addressed by school administrators and School Resource Officer Sean Sweeney Jr. Following an investigation, Sweeney identified a suspect believed to be responsible for both incidents. Police said no additional individuals appear to have been involved.
The student, who was not publicly named because of his age, faces two counts of vandalism to property, tagging property and a civil rights violation. He is scheduled to appear in Lynn Juvenile Court at a later date.
Chief Dennis King said the cooperation between school officials and police “makes a great difference when dealing with this type of abhorrent behavior. We could not have identified a suspect so quickly without such a strong relationship.”
King added that “there is no place in Marblehead for hate of any kind, especially in our schools, and we are taking this incident very seriously.”
Police said they notified the Anti-Defamation League and local community leaders, as is customary when hate-related incidents are reported in town. Officials said there was no threat to the safety of staff or students.
