Police released footage Thursday, Oct. 8 of vandals in two separate incidents who hurled rocks and shattered windows of a church in Santa Ana, and have asked for the public’s help in identifying them.
Authorities sought two different men who vandalized Archangel Michael Coptic Church, 4405 W. Edinger Dr., Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. The crimes were both recorded by a security camera on Edinger, and occurred months apart from each other. There was no immediate indication that either was a hate crime.
The house of worship was hosting an outdoor mass when the first incident took place at about 7:59 a.m. on Aug. 23, Santa Ana police said in a news release. Worshippers heard a loud bang, and a suspect wearing dark clothing and short hair was seen walking west on Edinger, away from the building.
Footage released by police showed a man on Edinger with short hair and dark clothing lobbing several rocks. Windows and a glass door were smashed.
The church already had paid to repair that damage when another person vandalized the same portion of the building on Oct. 5, Bertagna said. Cameras recorded a separate suspect wearing a red shirt and jeans who is seen collecting stones along the sidewalk at about 3:10 a.m. Glass can be heard shattering after he pitches a rock toward the building.
A detailed description of either suspect was not immediately released. Investigators had not suggested a motive for the crimes as of Thursday.
Anyone who might be able to help authorities identify the men should contact Santa Ana Police Detective R. Wilson at 714-245-8551 or RashadWilson@santa-ana.org.
Source: Orange County Register
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