Several teenagers allegedly used spray paints to vandalize the wall of a historic African American church in Virginia. The following day, the vandals returned to the church to commit another act of vandalism; however, the authorities caught them after a nearby resident saw their car and called 911.
Church Vandalism
Deacon Mike Lewis of First Ashville Baptist Church, which is located just west of Marshall in Fauquier County, stated that the front door of the house of worship had been unlocked around 6:32 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 and that both the internal parts of the church and the schoolhouse had been defaced, The Daily Progress reported. According to a notice from the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office, a nearby resident gave law enforcement an account of the events that transpired, including details of the people involved and the vehicle they were driving. As mentioned, when the Deacon of the Baptist Church alerted the police on Sunday, May 28, at 5:44 p.m. to report that the suspects had returned to church property, patrol deputies were sent back to the church to investigate.
Additionally, the Deacon notified the authorities over the phone when the car was driving from the accident scene. He reportedly supplied a description of the vehicle, details about the license plate, and the most recent location for the automobile. Patrol deputies reportedly spotted the car in Marshall and successfully stopped it without more trouble. A Marshall resident named Averie Pozzo di Borgo was 19 years old, and two minors, a female aged 17 and a male aged 14, were taken into custody after being found inside the vehicle. The police believe the teenagers were responsible for vandalism at the church and schoolhouse on Saturday and Sunday. They also think the adolescents were involved in a burglary on the first day.
Moreover, Prince William Times reported that the incident damaged the white stucco church, which was constructed in 1899, and an adjacent schoolhouse, which educated African American children in the surrounding neighborhood from approximately 1910 until approximately the middle of the 1960s. Many places inside the church were also vandalized by being spray-painted with black and red paint, and several rooms, including the cooking area and office, were plundered. Cabinets and drawers in both rooms were opened, and everything inside was dumped on the floor. Plates and glass vases for flowers have also been broken in the kitchen, and flour and other food products were thrown carelessly into the floors. Furthermore, Paula Walton, 68, a longstanding church member, indicated that the attackers left graffiti in both the church and the schoolhouse that stated: "Satan loves you" and "gay rights."
Also Read: St Mark Parish Defaced for the Second Time, Smashed Virgin Mary Statue
Charges Against the Teenagers
A report from NBC Washington stated that Averie Pozzo di Borgo, 19, and two youngsters were taken into custody and accused of several offenses. Investigators assessed that Di Borgo was the only person involved in the vandalism on Sunday, May 28. Although the sheriff's office stated in a press release that none of the graffiti was "related to race or ethnicity," Deacon Lewis claimed that he is still deeply upset by what has been written and that it continues to bother him.
As per The Free Lance Style, following Di Borgo's arrest, she was charged with two counts of aiding a minor's criminality and property destruction. However, she was allowed to go home after posting an unsecured bond of $3,000. On the other hand, several charges are being considered for the two juveniles.
Related Article: Emmanuel Christian Community Vandalized With Satanic Graffiti For the Second Time
