Suspect charged in racist graffiti incident at Affton school
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - For the second time in the past week, someone has targeted an Affton school building, spray-painting Nazi and white supremacist messages near the entrance.
The Affton School District notified parents of the incident, which happened early Wednesday morning at Rogers Middle School. The district said the graffiti was covered by the time students started arriving.
“Let us be clear: There is absolutely no place for hate in Affton School District. These actions do not define who we are. Our response—standing together in rejection of racism, bigotry, and fear—does,” the message to parents stated.
The district also notified St. Louis County Police and provided video of the incident. Police obtained additional surveillance images from a nearby hardware store that appeared to show the same person stealing cans of black spray paint.
A store employee described the suspect to officers as a white male, approximately 5′4″ to 5′8″ tall, with a slender build. He was wearing all-black clothing.
Lt. Shawn McGuire with the Affton Southwest Precinct said that officers believed the suspect was the same person who committed a similar act of vandalism at Affton High School last week. Both incidents involved Nazi images like swastikas. The two buildings are within walking distance of each other.
McGuire said officers asked for help identifying the person in the images and video. On Wednesday morning, St. Louis County police announced that a suspect had been taken into custody.
Charging documents show that Patrick Sloan was charged with two counts of property damage motivated by discrimination. He was charged in connection with both graffiti incidents in the school district.
The documents state that Sloan was identified by multiple people who saw the released surveillance video showing the incident. According to investigators, Sloan itted to a family member he was responsible for the property damage.
Sloan is being held on a $25,000, cash-only, no 10% bond.
Following Sloan’s arrest, Superintendent Dr. Travis Bracht sent the following to the Affton Community:
“We want to update you on the investigation into the racially motivated vandalism at Affton High School and Rogers Middle School. Law enforcement has confirmed an arrest in connection with these crimes. The individual in custody is a former Affton student and graduate. They have been charged with two counts of Property Damage Motivated by Discrimination Second Degree.
We are incredibly grateful to the St. Louis County Police Department for their dedication to this investigation. While this development provides some relief, we recognize the deep impact these hateful acts have had on our students, families, team, and community.
The outpouring of from Affton families, neighbors, and beyond has been overwhelming. From messages of encouragement to countless offers of help, your unwavering commitment to standing against hate has been felt by every student, teacher, and staff member in our schools. This week has been difficult, but it has also reaffirmed what we already knew: Affton is strong, resilient, and united in our values of respect, inclusion, and kindness.
As we move forward, our focus remains on healing, education, and strengthening our community. We will continue working with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the St. Louis Holocaust Museum, and other community partners to provide , resources, and learning opportunities for students and staff. We also invite our community to us for a Community Conversation with the ADL on Monday, March 31, at 6:30 p.m. in the Affton High School Cafeteria.
Hate has no home in Affton. This incident does not define us—our response does. Thank you for standing with us. We are, and always will be, #AfftonStrong"
“Whenever someone defaces school property with symbols that show hate, we’re not about that,” McGuire said.
The district has also set up an event with the Anti-Defamation League on March 31 at Affton High School. Jordan Kadosh, the regional director of ADL Heartland, said the district had been a part of the organization’s “No Place for Hate” program for the past two years.
“I hope people understand that the Affton school community is dedicated to addressing this head on and getting back to the business of educating their students,” Kadosh said.
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