KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Kingsport Police Department (KPD) is asking for the public’s help after the former Colonial Heights Middle School building was “extensively vandalized.”
According to the KPD, officers responded to the former middle school building on Lebanon Road on Tuesday, May 23. Police described the damage to the building as “malicious.”
The damage, reportedly totaling over $25,000, included broken exterior and interior windows, shattered basketball backboards, damaged ceiling tiles and spray-painted graffiti throughout the building.
Kingsport police spokesman, Tom Patton, told News Channel 11 that there was a lot of damage in the gymnasium with glass shattered across the floor and basketball backboards damaged.
“I do believe that they’re investigating this as if this could be an isolated incident or it could have been a series of incidents where they actually got into the school multiple times,” said Patton. “Again, that’s all a part of an active investigation that they’re trying to sort out.”
Patton believes the person or people involved may have entered the building through a broken side window.
The KPD said it has increased patrols at the former school.
“Oftentimes when people commit crimes like this, they talk and brag about it,” said Patton. “Anybody hears something, maybe has a general idea of who the suspects might be, if they could give us a call.”
The vacant middle school building was being remodeled by Lakeway Christian Schools, the release stated.
The KPD asks anyone with information on the incident to contact detectives at 423-229-9423 or by calling Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. Anonymous tips can be submitted here.
News Channel 11 has reached out to officials with Lakeway Christian Schools for a comment on the vandalism but has not heard back.
