News
Released: April 26, 2011 - Tuesday, 02:10 PM
Two 15 year olds and one 14 year old boy were arrested in Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria and Nipomo. All had spent the night in Arroyo Grande on 4-2/3-11 and allegedly planned to break into the school in order to damage the facility, and in the process scrawled racist and anti-Semitic words on dry erase boards and drew a swastika on an outside door. California flags were removed and items broken and strewn about several classrooms.
The crime sparked community outrage after a cross burning incident occurred in the City of Arroyo Grande prior to the damage at the middle school. Investigators have preliminarily determined the two incidents are unrelated.
Charges on all three include, penal code 422.6 Interference with civil rights (hate speech), 459 PC Burglary, 594 PC Vandalism and 182 PC Criminal Conspiracy, hate speech is a misdemeanor the remaining charges are all felonies.
"This was a strong community effort that included students and staff at Mesa Middle School, our school resources deputies, detectives and the assistance of the NAACP and ADL." said Sheriff Ian Parkinson.
Hate Crime - Arrest
Contact: Rob BrynPhone: (805) 781-4547Date and time of incident: 4-25-11 evening hoursPlace of Occurrence: Mesa Middle SchoolVictim Information: Lucia Mar Unified School DistrictSuspect Information: 3 Male Juveniles - former studentsThree former Mesa Middle School students were booked into Juvenile Services Center in San Luis Obispo late last night in connection with the burglary, vandalism and hate speech incident at the unincorporated Arroyo Grande school.Two 15 year olds and one 14 year old boy were arrested in Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria and Nipomo. All had spent the night in Arroyo Grande on 4-2/3-11 and allegedly planned to break into the school in order to damage the facility, and in the process scrawled racist and anti-Semitic words on dry erase boards and drew a swastika on an outside door. California flags were removed and items broken and strewn about several classrooms.
The crime sparked community outrage after a cross burning incident occurred in the City of Arroyo Grande prior to the damage at the middle school. Investigators have preliminarily determined the two incidents are unrelated.
Charges on all three include, penal code 422.6 Interference with civil rights (hate speech), 459 PC Burglary, 594 PC Vandalism and 182 PC Criminal Conspiracy, hate speech is a misdemeanor the remaining charges are all felonies.
"This was a strong community effort that included students and staff at Mesa Middle School, our school resources deputies, detectives and the assistance of the NAACP and ADL." said Sheriff Ian Parkinson.
