Police are searching for a suspect they said threw a rock at the glass door of Our Lady Of Guadalupe Catholic Church. This is the second time the church has been vandalized this year.
According to the church’s surveillance video, the suspect lingered on the South side of the church for around 15 minutes, before throwing a rock at the building, shattering a glass door.
The church was vandalized and broken into in January 2017. Surveillance footage caught a group of teenage boys throwing rocks at the windows of the church, then entering the building. There were no signs of anything being taken from the church, and the suspects have not been caught.
The Reverend Martin Pina said he doesn’t think the most recent incident was an attempt to break in, but rather just a lack of respect for the church and private property.
“When these things happen, it is kind of sad,” Reverend Pina said. “People will take advantage of the fact that we are a prominent place in the community. Most people protect that. Most people respect that, but you have some individuals who don’t, really.”
Reverend Pina said even if the individual disagreed with their ideology, his church should not have to continually pick up the pieces.
“It’s one of the foundations of our country, freedom of religion, to practice your faith in freedom and in peace,” Reverend Pina said. “Not to be thrown rocks at it.”
He doesn’t think this was malicious, necessarily.
“It was just a random, ‘throw the rock at the door and see what happens,’” Reverend Pina said.
The Reverend hopes the suspect knows the cost of his actions goes beyond the cost to replace the door.
“I hope he has some remorse, and conscience that says ‘I did wrong,” Reverend Pina said. “It’s the loss of respect for other human beings and places, because they also do damage to the people.”
Services will continue as normal while they repair the door, but the church has asked for the community’s help to find the suspect. The church also said they are looking for a dark-colored Chevy truck that “might have dropped the individual off.”
If you have any information that may be helpful for police, call Crimeline at 806-741-1000.
