racist slur symbol spray painted at Martin Downs Golf Club by sheriff

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No suspects arrested

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MARTIN COUNTY One or more vandals spray-painted an anti-black racial slur, a swastika and a Star of David with a line cut through in a golf course tunnel in Palm City, law enforcement records show. order.

Some sexually explicit engravings were also found there, Martin County Sheriff’s Lt. Yesenia Carde said.

Investigators responded to Martin Downs Golf Club after receiving reports of vandalism at the golf course on Monday, according to a sheriff’s incident report.

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An employee discovered the spray-painted symbols and words around 7 a.m. that day, according to the report.

They were etched into the ground with bright orange spray paint, investigators said, and the suspects left shoe prints after stepping on the fresh paint.

Detectives are investigating the incident as a case of criminal mischief with the possibility of increased hate crime charges.

“With a hate crime, you have to show that’s the primary motive for the incident,” Carde said. “So once we make contact with the suspect, if we determine that their motive was simply to go out there and cause harm, and not to target a specific racial group… then at that point we determine that it is simply criminal mischief.”

The lieutenant said if detectives find the suspects had a motive for targeting a group because of their race, those arrested could face hate crime charges.

Investigators said children may have spray painted the golf course tunnel based on the nature of the designs, but they did not rule out the possibility of adult suspects.

School Resource Officers are searching for students with orange paint on their shoes at area elementary and middle schools, which include Hidden Oaks Middle School, Palm City Elementary School and Elementary School. Citrus Grove, according to the report.

In May 2022, six students were investigated in connection with the circulation of a racist photo at Hidden Oaks Middle School. Investigators have not linked the two cases, officials said Tuesday.

The golf course suffered damage estimated at $1,000 and detectives are still investigating the matter, officials said.

Mauricio La Plante is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm focusing on Martin County. Follow him on Twitter @mslaplantenews or email him at [email protected].

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