Salt Lake City police are asking the public for help as they investigate a “potential hate crime” at Bonneville Elementary School.
Police first received a report of “hate speech” spray-painted on the school’s 1145 S. 1900 East campus early Sunday.
When officers arrived, they found “several instances” of hate speech scrawled in red and purple paint and white chalk. The offensive language was “racist, homophobic and antisemitic,” according to a news release, and there was also “hate speech directed at people living with physical disabilities.”
The vandalism is believed to have occurred sometime between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. Police and school district officials are reviewing surveillance camera footage, and they’re asking people who live near the school to check their own security footage to see if they recorded anything suspicious.
Anyone with information about the vandalism may call police at 801-799-3000 and reference case No. 23-282047.
By Sunday afternoon, a group of people had descended on the school to leave messages of love for students and staff. Together, they drew hearts in chalk near the school’s entrance with a few notes, including, “We love our school and our teachers,” according to a post from Salt Lake City police Chief Mike Brown on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I’m proud to see Salt Lakers of all ages covering Bonneville Elementary with love & compassion,” Brown wrote.
