Three Teens Face Felony Charges Over Spray-Painting ‘Racist, Antisemitic’ Messages
WESTON (FLV) – Police have arrested three 16-year-old males in connection with several incidents of racist and antisemitic messages spray-painted in the Weston Hills Community, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Weston District (BSO).
Reports say the teenagers at first “believed their actions were only a joke but soon after, once they came under law enforcement and public scrutiny, realized how serious it was.”
Police say one of the males told them that after they saw an incident from Yom Kippur in the news, they “repeatedly targeted the Weston Hills neighborhood because they found the situation to be humorous,” according to the affidavit.
According to investigators, the first incident reported occurred in the morning hours on Oct. 5, a day of celebration for Yom Kippur.
Several antisemitic and hate messages were spray-painted inside and outside the bathrooms on the golf course at Weston Hills.
Additionally, on the same day, additional hate messages were found spray-painted on the children’s playground at Hunters Pointe Park in Weston.
A second incident was reported on Tuesday, Oct. 25, when hate slurs and antisemitic messages were found again spray-painted on the walls of the golf course bathrooms.
On Sunday, Oct. 30, BSO district deputies responded to a call reporting yet another incident of racist and antisemitic messages spray-painted at Hunters Pointe Park and along the entrance of Hunters Pointe subdivision in Weston.
BSO district detectives continued to investigate these incidents and identified three teens they believe to be responsible for these crimes.
All three teens were arrested and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center for processing.
Two of the males face three counts of criminal mischief, two counts of burglary structure and one count of public order crime prejudice, which is a hate crime enhancement.
The third male faces two counts of criminal mischief and burglary structure.
Police say there are no additional outstanding suspects involved in these incidents.
