Belmont High School Targeted with Hate-Related Vandalism and Fake Bomb

Los Angeles: On April 2, 2008, at around 6:30 a.m., school administrators arriving at Belmont High School found swastikas and other graffiti painted with blue, white and black spray paint in various campus locations. They also found a package displaying swastikas and the date of April 3, 2008.

Additional graffiti makings incorporated "MHS" and "Beware. It’s Time." Damage to school property also included 30 door-lock cylinders throughout the campus that had been glued shut.

The mysterious package, which was perceived to be a possible bomb, caused school officials to summon the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Bomb Squad. Consequently, the school was evacuated for several hours while the Bomb Squad and Los Angeles Fire Department conducted an investigation. After being unable to determine the content of the package, the Bomb Squad detonated it and discovered it contained a radio/CD player.

LAPD Rampart Area detectives determined that eight students at the school were responsible for the incident. Five of the students were juveniles and three were 18-year-old adults. The criminal investigation determined that they were apparently trying to stage a hoax in order to scare students and administrators, though it’s unclear why. Property damage was estimated to be $2,000.

Today at 10:45 a.m., the eight suspects were booked on a felony charge for planting a facsimile bomb on a school campus, along with hate crime and vandalism charges.

Comments

[Centurion]

I guess they're not graduating on stage

[alison]

It is a scary time to be raising a family in these times. I get upset when I read about the 15 yr old girl being shot and her assaliets have not been found.
Question for the officer how do I keep my 2 yr old son safe

[John Smith]

it so unfair because the rest of us working moms have to pay higher insurance rates for these reasons. how do insurance companies list this neighborhood? someone should look into these things.

[mireya]

I am a graduate of Belmont high school... and those 8 student were my class mates they were the people at the table were we would all hang out it was a senior prank...and those boys didnt deserve what they got they were honor students and very high educated i loved them all and it sucked that we couldnt graduate with them .....

[Bella]

Mireya,

You are a graduate of Belmont High School? They were the people that at the table where you all gathered. Ok. This was a senior prank...they were all honor students but yet didn't have clue between the eight that this was wrong? Or that something could have happened? Guess your idea of honor student and my idea of honor student would include a footnote that read able to tell right from wrong, good from bad. Their punishment was not too harsh it was right on the money.

[zoila]

Wow..some people have no heart.obviously people make stupid remarks without knowing da people who did it.YOUR opinion happens to b very stereotype.Yea those boys were honors students and are great people.EVERYONE deserves a second chance.Maybe you should put yourself in there shoes .See how it feels to be discriminated.Either way you opinion doesn't matter those boys are off to good colleges with their diplomas and their heads held high..cause that prank ment no harm and didn't hurt any students.

[mireya]

Bella,

Didn't i just write i am a graduate of Belmont, and they were the people we hung out with...?? let me ask you something what could of had happened?? i mean it was FAKE!! there was nothing real about it and ya thats right they were honor studnets and they didnt deserve what they got but even though they didnt graduate with us they still managed to go on with their eduacation somewhere else!!!

[CollinsMix]

I'm sure as Mireya has stated they were "very high educated," and "honor studnets," and will take their "eduacation" somewhere else. What does it take to be an honors studnet at Belmont High anyways?

[Nayeli]

In order for student's to be in high honors they must obtain a high G.P.A of a 3.0 or 4.0 .... what kind of question is that?? .... People really need to start minding there own business and not care about other people's comments!!!!