Edina school vandalized with swastika

An Edina elementary school was vandalized over the weekend with a swastika and other offensive graffiti, School District officials said Monday.

The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was caught on security cameras and apprehended by Edina police Monday morning, Schools Superintendent John Schultz wrote in an e-mail to district families.

District spokeswoman Mary Woitte said that although someone was caught, they were not arrested. It's unclear whether the suspect was a minor.

"When an act of hatred occurs anywhere in Edina, it affects our entire community," Edina Public Schools Superintendent John Schultz wrote in his e-mail. "We in Edina Public Schools are committed to creating a school culture where all feel welcome and respected."

Schultz said the suspect has no known connection to the school where the incident occurred, identified by WCCO-TV as Concord Elementary School, located just south of the high school football field and the Edina Community Center.

"We strongly believe that these types of incidents are carried out by individuals who do not reflect the sentiments of the community as a whole," Schultz said. "They remind us, however, that we must be vigilant in our work around equity and cultural understanding.

"The future-readiness of our students depends on their ability to work collaboratively with others from vast numbers of cultures, religions and backgrounds."

Schultz said the district has turned to the Jewish Community Resource Council for "guidance as we work through this issue.

"We offer our support to Edina families of Jewish faith and all communities offended by this weekend's incident, and assurance that we are pursuing an appropriate outcome."

paul.walsh@startribune.com • 612-673-4482