Vandals spray-painted antisemitic and homophobic messages on walls and doors at a Chula Vista high school and middle school, likely on Halloween night, authorities said Tuesday.
The graffiti was discovered Monday morning on the campuses of Bonita Vista High School and Bonita Vista Middle School, which are located on opposite sides of Otay Lakes Road just north of East H Street.
Police believe the vandalism occurred between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday, according to Chula Vista police spokesperson Lt. Dan Peak. School resource officers from the Chula Vista Police Department were called to the campuses Monday morning to investigate.
Officers found graffiti and a broken window at the high school, and more graffiti featuring the same colors of spray paint — black, teal and yellow — at the middle school, Peak said.
A photograph provided by police showed a door was painted with a teal Swastika, the word “Jews” crossed out with an X, and a reference to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
“This incident is … being investigated as a hate crime due to the antisemitic and homophobic statements,” Peak said in a statement.
School officials quickly cleaned up the graffiti before students arrived at the campuses Monday morning, police said. The estimated cost to repair the damages was $1,600 at the high school and $1,000 at the middle school.
Anyone with information about the vandalism was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers’ anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Students can use Crime Stoppers’ ”Students Speaking Out” app to submit information.