Racist Messages Found Near Gig Harbor School Arson

GIG HARBOR, WA - An arson fire set early Wednesday morning at Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor was accompanied by racist graffiti, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. Apart from the fire, police found racist messages in the parking lot and on a memorial bench at the school.

The fire and graffiti happened around 3 a.m. Wednesday. The fire damaged a portable building that contains eight classrooms. The fire mainly damaged the doorway of the building, according to Gig Harbor fire. The cost of the damage was estimated at $60,000.

According to surveillance video, the lone suspect in the vandalism also tried to smash a window at the school's library with a baseball bat.

This week's vandalism echos a similar incident that happened at the school in September 2016. In that incident, a lone white male set that same memorial bench on fire, causing minor damage to the school.

The suspect in this week's incident is described as a young white man who at the time of the vandalism was wearing a bandanna over his face, a dark hoodie, and dark pants.

Images via Pierce County Sheriff's Office