(3:50 p.m. April 13) This story was updated with a statement from Montgomery County police
The name of the Sandy Hook mass shooter was graffitied on a fence at Bradley Hills Elementary School in Bethesda.
“Today, graffiti was discovered on a fence at Bradley Hills Elementary School that included the name of the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut,” MCPS officials wrote in a letter to families over the weekend.
It was reported to county police and an investigation is underway.
In the past week, an outdoor shed at the school was intentionally set on fire. It is unclear if the incidents are connected but the possibility is being investigated. The letter acknowledged both incidents as “extremely unsettling and concerning.”
On Monday, there will be four more school security employees at the school, according to a letter Sunday from Principal Brooks Kemp. The school cluster security supervisor and the MCPS Director of School Leadership will also be there.
County police committed more officers to patrol around Bradley Hills Elementary on Monday. The Whitman cluster Community Engagement Officer will also be at Bradley Hills throughout the day.
More cameras have been ordered and more lighting will be installed to support cameras. A tree that is blocking camera visibility will be removed, and a chain and lock were ordered so the playground can be secured overnight.
In a statement Monday afternoon, Montgomery County police said that the vandalism is being investigated by the department’s Threat Assessment and Behavioral Solutions Unit. Detectives are working to identify the suspect(s). The earlier arson is being handled separately by the county Fire Marshal’s Office.
Police advise residents to follow official updates rather than sharing unverified information.
“While we understand the desire to stay informed, sharing unconfirmed details online can cause unnecessary fear and confusion,” police said in the written statement. “We encourage the community to rely on updates from official sources and allow detectives the time and space to do their work.”
Bradley Hills Elementary is a feeder school for Whitman High School, where Islamophobic graffiti was discovered on an exterior wall in January.
