School officials investigate vandalism at Northwest

Published 7:20 am Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Northwest Whitfield High School Principal Britt Adams isn’t blaming anyone yet, but he does plan to have graffiti sporting Dalton High School’s Big D emblem and name at Northwest painted over.

Adams said the vandalism apparently occurred over the weekend when someone spray painted parts of Northwest’s press box, field house, track and a couple of other buildings with Dalton’s colors of red and white. According to a Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the unknown person or persons painted a “D” on the chest of the Bruins’ mascot, another red and white “D” on a door and still another “D” on the track. A sign on the field house wall also had the bear’s paws spray-painted black and covered over in red and white paint, the report says.

“There’s no telling really who did it,” Adams said on Tuesday. “We’re in the process of investigating it right now. It very easily could be anybody.”

Maj. Mark Gibson with the sheriff’s office said investigators have interviewed a suspect, who is not a student, but no charges have been filed. The culprit or culprits could be charged with criminal damage to property. Adams said that while the investigation is ongoing, he doesn’t believe a student did the deed.

Dalton High Principal Debbie Freeman said school officials there learned of the vandalism Monday morning. School resource officers from both schools have been talking since then, she said.

“When we heard about it, we contacted Northwest administrators and offered to help them in any way that we could,” Freeman said. “(School resource officers) told us that they didn’t believe any DHS students were involved. If the investigation shows that DHS students were involved, we will certainly address it.”