Around 9:05 p.m. on Dec. 26, SMPD officers responded to a call at John Muir Elementary School, where they located two juvenile male suspects and subsequently arrested them for vandalism and burglary.
The juveniles were transported to the SMPD station and cited before being released into the custody of their parents, according to SMPD Public Information Officer Rudy Flores.
A search of John Muir and the adjacent Santa Monica Alternative School House buildings revealed several smashed windows, freshly painted graffiti, ransacked classrooms and a ransacked administrative office.
Officers were initially dispatched to the school buildings at 2526 6th St. in response to a group of subjects who were seen jumping over a fence and onto the school grounds.
Officers sighted the suspects inside the administrative office. The suspects attempted to flee on foot, but were shortly thereafter apprehended by the police and taken into custody without further resistance. An LAPD helicopter assisted with the search.
Muir Principal Paula Lytz and SMASH Principal Jessica Rishe sent out a joint email to parents on the morning of Dec. 27 responding to the incident.
“SMMUSD is sending professional crews to clean the affected SMASH and Muir classrooms, shared library and the front office building this week,” said the principals’ statement. “While professional crews clean the affected areas all week, we can use everybody’s help staying out of their way and keeping things calm.”
Both schools are currently on winter break and students will not return to class until Jan. 3 and 4, by which point the campus will be cleaned, repaired and prepared for students.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of this incident at Muir / SMASH over the Christmas holiday weekend,” said Superintendent Ben Drati. “We are evaluating the losses and working with SMPD on this crime investigation. Our schools are second homes to our students and staff and when a crime of this nature is committed, it hurts all of us.”
Clara@smdp.com
