A teenager arrested on August 23 for vandalizing an elementary school with racist slurs and swastikas has been identified as the son of a local Democratic Party official.

The 15-year-old son of Marquetta Brown, a Democratic National Convention delegate and San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee Member, is being charged for defacing school property on at least three occasions, according to reporter Amy Reichert.

Restraining order granted: The 15 year old son of a Democratic National Convention Delegate & elected San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee Member Marquetta Brown is being accused of vandalizing a Chula Vista elementary school 3 times by spray painting the N word &… pic.twitter.com/hq0bWLlQYD

— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) August 29, 2024

While it is customary to conceal the identity of a minor in an investigation, “This information is now public because a restraining order has been filed in San Diego Superior Court against the 15 year old and it was granted by a judge for 2 years,” Reichert explained.

This information is now public because a restraining order has been filed in San Diego Superior Court against the 15 year old and it was granted by a judge for 2 years

— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) August 29, 2024

The investigation started when the first set of graffiti was discovered on August 18.

A teenager was arrested Friday on suspicion of repeatedly vandalizing an elementary school with graffiti that included racial epithets and swastikas, Chula Vista police said.

The first set of markings was found Aug. 18 on several walls, doors and across a large mural at Enrique Camarena Elementary School on Exploration Falls Drive, police said. The next morning, after parents and school staff spent hours cleaning and covering the graffiti, new and similar writing was found at the front of the campus.

Security measures were implemented, but staff members reported finding more hateful graffiti at the back of the school on Wednesday, police said. The markings, which included racial epithets towards multiple races, were estimated to have caused thousands of dollars in damage.

After an extensive investigation, a 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incidents about 7 p.m. at a local high school football game, police said. Meanwhile, investigators served a search warrant at his Chula Vista home, not far from the elementary school. The teen is facing felony hate crime and vandalism charges.

Marquetta Brown is a black woman, meaning that her son appeared to be committing a hate crime hoax. This trend has been persistent in America for decades. The most high-profile example was the case of Jussie Smollett who staged an incident in which supposed supporters of former President Donald Trump assaulted him in Chicago.

It is difficult to ascertain why some folks pull off these hoaxes. Perhaps they seek attention. Maybe they think they are shining a light on a serious problem. Either way, it causes great harm to actual victims of hate crimes because it downplays the significance of these acts.