Police investigating ‘hateful writing’ found in Gales Ferry church

Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant
·2 min read
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Authorities are investigating “hateful writing” found on a floor and a wall in a Gales Ferry church that was broken into early Saturday, police said.

Investigators were looking for the public’s help identifying the alleged suspect who was caught on the church’s surveillance footage. They believe the man was also involved in an incident at another church in Gales Ferry where a rock was thrown through the window later Saturday, according to the Ledyard Police Department.

Officers responded to the Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 1650 Route 12 in Gales Ferry about 7:35 a.m. for a reported burglary, police said.

Emergency dispatchers reported that someone had entered the church and damaged parts of the building. Once on scene, officers found multiple broken windows around the meeting hall area of the church. Investigators said that it appears that someone threw bricks at the front door to try to get in but were unsuccessful, according to police.

Police believe the suspect then broke more windows using rocks and bricks, then entered through a window on the north side of the building, police said.

Investigators found “hateful writings painted in black paint on the floor” of the meeting hall and on a wall near a large crucifix. Surveillance cameras at the church captured footage of a man defacing the wall and floor, police said.

Surveillance footage also captured the suspect going into the church through a window about 1 a.m. and walking through the meeting area trying to get into locked rooms using a crowbar. He was inside the church until about 3:30 a.m., police said.

While investigators were still on the scene, dispatch received a call about 7:40 a.m. reporting a broken window at nearby Bishop Seabury Anglican Church across from Route 12 at 6 Hurlbutt Road, police said. Cleaning personnel found a broken window that someone had thrown a rock through near the worship area of the church, police said.

No further damage was reported at the second church, but investigators believe the two incidents were connected.

The New London Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Civil Rights Unit and the Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Unit were helping Ledyard Police detectives investigate.