Youths Vandalize Wash. Schools, Cause $500,000 in Damage
All three vandals, ages 10, 13, and 14, have pending charges for burglary and malicious mischief.
Damage included graffiti, broken windows, and flooding caused by clogged sinks left running.
Three adolescent vandals caused at least $500,000 worth of damage after breaking into a Darrington, Washington elementary school and high school over the weekend.
The three vandals broke into the two schools, which share a campus, causing a majority of the damage at the elementary school. Nearly every interior window in Darrington Elementary was shattered, according to HeraldNet.
Maintenance and janitorial staff who arrived at work on Monday reported the vandalism around 6 a.m.
Additional damage include graffiti, paint strewn across the gymnasium, flipped furniture, smashed computers, flooding from plugged sinks left running, and discharged fire extinguishers, one of which was thrown through a fish tank.
“To work so hard to try to improve our facilities, then to see how much destruction can be taken out on a school in just a morning — it’s pretty disheartening,” says Superintendent Buck Marsh.
The vandals are two females, ages 13 and 14, and one male, age 10, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
The 13-year-old was taken to Denney Juvenile Justice Center while the others were released to family members.
All three have pending charges for burglary and malicious mischief, reports Komo News.
Insurance is expected to cover the repairs, says district business manager McKenzie Boyd, although an exact figure will take some time to determine.
The school’s insurance adjusters say the damage is “beyond the scope of what they’ve seen”.
When asked if campus security would be tightened, Boyd replied, “We’re definitely talking about what we can do to prevent this type of thing in the future.” Conversations regarding campus security changes are in the preliminary stages.
The administration’s main focus, says Boyd, is getting the schools repaired by the first day of the 2017-2018 school year which is scheduled for September 6.
Boyd also says members of the community have reached out and offered to help with cleanup. Although appreciated, Boy says the damage is so extensive that it must be handled by professionals.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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