U of U investigating racist graffiti at construction site

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH – The University of Utah is trying to track down the vandals who targeted a building that was under construction and left racist graffiti on one of the walls over the weekend.

Campus police say the vandals broke into the Carolyn and Kem Gardner Building and made a massive mess.  University of Utah Police Chief Dale Brophy says, “In one area, there was a slur that was racially insensitive.  In other areas, there were some symbols that were, maybe, tagging symbols.”  He adds the vandals also painted floors and stairs indiscriminately, trying to make the biggest mess they could.

Brophy hopes the additions of several dozen new security cameras can help either prevent or help them investigate cases like this.  He says the cameras have been proven effective in the past.  He says, “We’ve had a couple hit and run accidents where someone has hit a car then drive somewhere else on campus, park their vehicle and then leave… we’ve been able to track their movement with the cameras.”

The department is looking over which public areas, like walking spaces and parking lots, should be covered first.  “We’re hoping to have all those spaces covered in the next 18 months,” Brophy says.