DEVELOPING STORY: Two months after the Krouzian-Zekarian-Vasbouragan Armenian School was vandalized and days after the Armenian Center adjacent to the St. Gregory Armenian Church was subject to arson, the sign of the KZV Armenian school was shot at over the weekend.
The San Francisco Police Department is investigating incidents that occurred at a school located on the 800 block of Brotherhood Way and at a church located on the unit block of Commonwealth Avenue. The SFPD is investigating these incidents as hate crimes. The SFPD has taken steps to increase the safety and security of the community and for the physical sites however, we ask that the community remain alert and report anything suspicious to the police. Investigators are actively working to identify those responsible for the crimes and to place them under arrest, reports the San Francisco Police Department.
Officers were patrolling the KZV Armenian School at 825 Brotherhood Way at around 2:25 a.m. Saturday morning when someone fired a bullet that damaged the school’s sign, according to police. No one was injured by the gunfire.
The officers were assigned to guard the school after the campus was tagged with anti-Armenian graffiti in July and a church building on Commonwealth Avenue near the Richmond District caught fire in an act of arson last Thursday.
The officers immediately searched for the source of the gunshots, but no suspects were located. During the search, officers located a damaged sign in front of the school, which appeared to be caused by a bullet, but no injuries were reported.
“We will not tolerate intimidation,” U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, who is of Armenian descent, tweeted in response to the first two incidents. “Love will triumph over hatred. Hope will defeat fear. Those responsible will be held accountable.”