in Humanity

Police Searching For Suspect After Virginia Jewish Community Center Spray-Painted With Swastikas

Police are investigating after the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia located in Fairfax County, VA was covered in spray-painted swastikas for the second time in less than two years.

Dyland Mahone, 20, was arrested in connection with the first time the community center was vandalized, back in April 2017. Little River Church of Christ was also vandalized.

Now local law enforcement is conducting an investigation searching for the most recent suspect, caught in the act on a surveillance video. 

The suspect was seen spray-painting the swastikas onto the building at 4:30 in the morning on Saturday, October 6. Fairfax County Police were called that morning, when building staff discovered the swastikas around 7 a.m.

The community center released a statement, thanking the police:

“We are grateful to the local law enforcement officials who are working to identify and bring to justice the person or persons who committed the crime.”

Kevin Baron, who has children who attended the preschool at this JCC, spoke out, saying he was “sickened and heartbroken” from these hateful attacks:

Twitter agrees, and many are disgusted at the blatant hatred and discrimination:

Events stemming from anti-semitism spiked 57%, to about 1,986 incidents in 2017. This was the largest single-year increase in history and the second-highest number of incidents since the 1970s.

There was at least once incident in each state. Especially considering this is the second attack, the center plans on being as secure and alert as possible moving forward:

“We will continue our extensive security measures and ask the community to remain alert and vigilant.”

There is an outpouring of support for those who are directly affected by this:

People are terrified, and heartbroken, both for the community and for the future as a whole:

As user @6tours2many said:

“This will not end until all decent citizens of this nation stand together.”

Baron thanked everyone for the support after he posted photos and videos of the JCC:

Anyone with information is urged to call the Mason District Police Station at 703-256-8035. Those who wish to remain anonymous can do so through contacting Crime Solvers at 866-411-8477, submitting an anonymous online, or sending “TIP187” along with a message to 274637.

Those who can provide enough information to press charges and make an arrest will be given a cash reward of $100 to $1,000.

H / T – HuffPo, Wtop, Anti-Defamation League

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Written by Alex Maxx

Alex is an author with a passion for storytelling, black coffee, and the oxford comma. She has been published in POPSUGAR, Diply, Alloy, The Mighty, Yahoo, College Fashionista, and Her Campus. When she isn't busy attempting to smash the glass ceiling, or dismantling the patriarchy, she enjoys binge-watching true crime documentaries, online window shopping, and going on adventures and exploring new places.
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