Elmhurst Teens Charged With Swastika Vandalism: Cops

ELMHURST, IL – Two Elmhurst teens are accused of carving swastikas and scrawling Nazi phrases on a local elementary school's playground equipment, police said.

Christopher Jackson, 18, who lives in the 200 block of Boyd Avenue, was charged with a felony hate crime on school property and two felony counts of criminal damage, police said. He has been ordered jailed until trial. A 17-year-old youth is expected to appear at a detention hearing soon.

On May 20, Elmhurst officers responded to Edison Elementary School, 246 S. Fair Ave., for a report of vandalism, according to a news release from DuPage County prosecutors.

After an investigation, police determined Jackson and the youth carved the swastikas and phrases into the equipment with a knife, prosecutors said.

"It is alleged several elementary school children saw the damaging carved symbols on the playground equipment during their school recess and alerted their teacher," Police Chief Michael McLean said in the news release. "I would like to thank the staff of Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 for alerting Elmhurst Police to the incident which allowed our detectives to perform a prompt investigation."