STANWOOD — Graffiti that was laced with bigotry appeared to threaten imminent violence at Stanwood Middle School, according to new documents filed in Everett District Court.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested two teenagers suspected of leaving the implied threat, as well as homophobic slurs, swastikas, satanic symbols and “many other (offensive) or shocking symbols and slogans,” according to a report by the Stanwood Police Department.
Spray painted on a door were a tombstone, a skull and crossbones, near the words, “Don’t come to school Tuesday,” and the date “06-04-19.”
Similar vandalism was found at Lincoln Hill High School, though there was no threatening warning there.
“The tagging was meant to cause fear to a reasonable person who viewed it, and took considerable labor for maintenance crews to fix the damage before students saw the graffiti,” court papers say.
Three people could be seen in surveillance footage. School authorities identified one as a student at the alternative high school. Police later were able to identify the other two.
A Camano Island man, 19, agreed to meet with an officer at the Stanwood Police Department on Tuesday. According to court papers, he said he went with one of the others to buy cans of white and black spray paint at a store in Arlington. They then picked up the third person and went to tag the two schools, he said according to documents.
He denied writing the warning not to come to school, and reported he didn’t intend to threaten anyone.
The 19-year-old suspect was booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of malicious harassment, the state’s hate crime law; and malicious mischief in the third degree.
Another suspect, 17, was booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center in Everett for investigation of the same crimes.
The third person was not arrested, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Courtney O’Keefe said. He apparently left as soon as the tagging started.
In a letter to parents, school authorities determined there appeared to be no credible threat to staff or students.
Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.
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