No suspects in vandalism of Hindu temple, school

Law enforcement officials said Thursday they have no suspects so far in two cases of harassing graffiti at a Hindu temple and a junior high school in Bothell.

Gov. Jay Inslee, meanwhile, said vandals there and at another Hindu temple in Kent, and perpetrators of a recent spate of violence against gays in Seattle, all “appear to be fueled by intolerance.”

“I am condemning these acts of intolerance, intimidation and violence,” he told reporters at a news conference in Olympia.

A swastika and the words, “get out,” were spray-painted on the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center in Bothell.

Nearby Skyview Junior High School was tagged with two red swastikas and the words, “Muslims get out,” and, “Muslims be gone.” The vandalism was discovered Feb. 15.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the vandalism at the temple, which is on unincorporated land. The Bothell Police Department is handling the investigation of graffiti at the school, two blocks away in the city. The FBI also is monitoring the cases.

“There are still elements that act as agents of intolerance and hate, and we have got to stand up against them every day,” the governor said Thursday. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s targeted at Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Christians, gays, lesbians or anyone else in our society. They are intolerable.”

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Shari Ireton said the Hindu temple case is being investigated as malicious harassment, a felony under state law.

“This is our hate-crime statute — the state just doesn’t label it as that,” she said.

Bothell Police Capt. Denise Nielsen said detectives there, too, are investigating the vandalism at the school as malicious harassment.

In Olympia, the governor was asked if he considered the incidents to be hate crimes.

“I always try to reserve judgment with these criminal investigations but it is difficult to conclude that it’s not, given the nature of what was done to these facilities,” Inslee said.

Two leaders of the Bothell temple met privately with Inslee before the news conference. Afterward, they lauded the governor for addressing the incidents and said they will leave it to investigators to determine if the vandalism was a hate crime.

“We don’t want to pass judgment,” said Mani Vadari, the vice chairman of temple and one of its founding members, but “we know these kinds of statements are hurtful and have no place in society.”

Ireton said the sheriff’s office has not identified suspects. Bothell police also have few leads.

“There really hasn’t been much progress with the case, unfortunately,” Nielsen said. “We haven’t gotten any tips or information to help us move forward.”

Investigators are hoping someone will step forward with information.

The FBI is sharing information with local law enforcement, said Ayn Dietrich-Williams, spokeswoman for the bureau’s Seattle division.

The FBI could become more involved if evidence proves to be substantial enough to build a federal criminal case, she said. But such cases aren’t always prosecuted federally if a state prosecution would yield equal justice.

Dietrich-Williams said the bureau refrains from labeling incidents as hate crimes but continues to work with local law enforcement to determine if it was “bias-motivated” and a violation of federal law.

Nit Niranjan, chairman of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center, said members hope to talk with those responsible and educate them.

“We’re not here to punish them. We’re here to make sure they understand who we are,” he said. “In any religion, there’s no place for violence and hate.”

Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Cal Brennan, 1, sits inside of a helicopter during the Paine Field Community Day on Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Children explore world of aviation at Everett airport

The second annual Paine Field Community Day gave children the chance to see helicopters, airplanes and fire engines up close.

A person walks past Laura Haddad’s “Cloud” sculpture before boarding a Link car on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 in SeaTac, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sound Transit seeks input on Everett bike, pedestrian improvements

The transit agency is looking for feedback about infrastructure improvements around new light rail stations.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Dani Mundell, the athletic director at Everett Public Schools, at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett Public Schools to launch girls flag football as varsity sport

The first season will take place in the 2025-26 school year during the winter.

A “SAVE WETLANDS” poster is visible under an seat during a public hearing about Critical Area Regulations Update on ordinance 24-097 on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Council passes controversial critical habitat ordinance

People testified for nearly two hours, with most speaking in opposition to the new Critical Areas Regulation.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.