Racist graffiti spree hits South Eugene neighborhood

Racist graffiti spree hits South Eugene neighborhood

Three teens face charges related to a graffiti spree in south Eugene.

By Andrew Segal

EUGENE, Ore. -- Three teenage boys are in custody after an early morning vandalism spree -- featuring racist and anti-Semitic graffiti -- that spanned an entire Eugene neighborhood.

The vandals targeted a school, cars, a picnic table and more, turning the normally quiet South Hills area upside down.

The teens -- two 13-year-olds and a 15-year-old -- broke into a shed at the Educational Environment School on Fox Hollow Road around 2 a.m. The school isn't in use anymore and the building is for sale, but there were plenty of flammable materials and paint in the shed.

The teens burned the pavement behind the school and poured paint all over it. They also painted the roof with Swastikas and references to Nazis.

The youths then headed to the intersection 46th and High St., where they tagged at least three cars, writing "KKK" all over them. 

A neighbor said he woke up around 3 a.m. and saw the car across the street from his house being tagged. He then called police.

The owner of the car surveyed the damage this morning.

"The stuff that they spray painted, really, I wasn't even completely aware that people still did that," Ellen Wolf said. "I honestly don't think the kids really mean that, I hope not. I just don't know where 13-year-olds or 15-year-olds would even get that idea."

The teens also tagged a picnic table and pathway by the Edgewood Pool.

"I have no idea why they would even come through here in the first place," Wolf said. "Nothing like this has happened here."

But the vandals weren't done. They headed over to the area by Spencer Butte Middle School and tagged a street sign and play structure before hitting an SUV with more racist graffiti.

Their spree came to an end around 4:30 a.m., when police caught them in front of the school and made arrests.

The 15-year-old faces five counts of criminal mischief and one count of reckless burning. The two 13-year-olds each face two counts of criminal mischief.

Eugene police are still looking for other potential victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Kim Shore at 682-5111.

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