Thanks to an engaged community and quick work by investigators, a man suspected of vandalizing a San Clemente middle school with hate-inspired graffiti is in custody.
Deputies at about 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, responded to reports of graffiti on multiple buildings at Shorecliffs Middle School in the 200 block of Via Socorro. When deputies arrived, they found eight areas had been tagged with white supremacist symbols and monikers.
Investigators released screen shots taken from surveillance footage and posted it to the San Clemente Police Services Facebook page to solicit the community’s help in identifying the suspect.
Multiple residents who saw the post helped in providing tips to investigators, which eventually led to identifying 20-year-old San Clemente resident Kyle Hackett as the suspect.
Hackett was arrested Monday, Aug. 20, on suspicion of felony vandalism and a misdemeanor hate crime.
