Photo of possible downtown vandal. Provided by APD.

By Acting Lieutenant Powell Meads #3917, Antioch Police Field Services

On Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at approximately 9:00 AM, the Antioch Police Department received an online complaint regarding vandalism in the downtown area and specifically at City Hall. Officers responded and located three city vehicles, a door at City Hall, and one local business that had been vandalized with spray paint. The vandalism had occurred sometime during the night and was discovered in the morning.

The following morning (Monday, 11/26), the Antioch Police Department received additional reports of vandalism in the downtown area. Officers responded and discovered black spray paint on numerous business fronts, mostly on W. 2nd Street and “G” Street in downtown Antioch. The vandalism consisted of spray-painted swastikas, vulgar words and phrases, as well as racial slurs. It does not appear at this time that any specific businesses were targeted by the responsible(s).

Officers began canvassing the area for evidence and located surveillance footage that captured the responsible.

Photo of the possible vandal. Provided by APD.

Two still photographs derived from the surveillance are attached below. The first photo is from 11/25/18 where the suspect was captured on surveillance vandalizing the city owned vehicles. The second photo is believed to be the same person and was captured on 11/26/18, although no actual criminal acts were recorded. This case is still actively under investigation with additional surveillance to be collected and reviewed.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Division. Any further information will be provided by the Investigations Bureau.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

A church building on W. 3rd Street was tagged with swastikas and profanity late Sunday night or early Monday morning, Nov. 25 or 26, 2018. Photo by Allen Payton

Photo of possible downtown vandal. From APD Facebook page.

Police have security camera footage of suspect

By Allen Payton

Over 20 buildings, including churches, city hall, businesses and a mural, were hit with black spray paint by vandals over the weekend. Some of the taggings included swastikas and profanity. According to Denise Skaggs from the City of Antioch’s Code Enforcement a total of 22 locations were tagged.

Pastor Eugene Jackson of Church of God Holy, which recently relocated to W. Third Street from their previous location on A Street, said “I was informed by text by one of our members that there were swastikas on the building.”

“When I saw them My heart sunk and I’m deeply saddened, because of the history of racism…against black churches in America,” he continued. “We contacted police and the news media. We want this racist hatred to be exposed… because it does exist in Antioch.

“We just held our second service, yesterday after we purchased the building and closed escrow last week,” Jackson stated. “This is someone who has a disdain for people of color. We are praying for this sick individual.”

Pastor Eugene Jackson speaks in front of his vandalized church on W. 3rd Street, Monday, Nov. 26, 2018. Photo by Allen Payton

When asked when it occurred, he responded, “I was informed at about 8 a.m. It probably happened early this morning between 1 and 3 A.M.”

“The police did mention that there were other buildings that have been vandalized. One had an ATM which has a camera on it. So, they’re hoping that will help them identify the individual,” Jackson added.

Another building on W. Second Street, which is the location of another church, that was vandalized with spray paint. But it appears that an attempt was made to clean it up.

An historic mural on W. 4th Street, commissioned by the Antioch City Council in the late 1990’s, was vandalized, as well. Photo by Allen Payton

In a post on their Facebook page, Monday morning, the Antioch Police wrote, “Over this past weekend, our downtown area was heavily damaged by vandals. Numerous businesses and vehicles were defaced with offensive words and symbols. This criminal behavior is not reflective of our community or our beliefs. As a police department, we are aggressively investigating these crimes. As members of this community, we are saddened and disappointed. Clean-up has already begun and we are now reaching out to our community to help us in identifying the responsible(s). If you have any information that will assist us in our investigation, please contact our Dispatch Center at (925) 778-2441.”

Then at 12:43 p.m. the Antioch Police wrote on their Facebook page, “We have an update on our earlier post regarding vandalisms in the downtown area of our City. Though the case is still being actively investigated, we have located surveillance footage of the suspect. If you recognize him, please contact Antioch Police Dispatch (925) 778-2441.” They also posted several photos of the suspect.

UPDATE 5:00 P.M., 11/26/18 – Good news thanks to the City crews! Most of the damage was cleaned up. According to former Antioch Councilwoman Elizabeth Rimbault, who was on the council when the murals were commissioned in the mid-1990’s, called city staff to inform them, the murals in downtown have been treated with anti-graffiti material.

In addition, Rimbault said she was looking to start a fundraiser for a summertime repair to the paint that came off and some of the peeling.

El Campanil Theatre Preservation Foundation presents “HAPPY 90th, El Campanil!” Celebrating 90 Years of Entertainment in the Heart of Antioch, California, ​this Saturday November 17, 2018 7:00 p.m. in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

A Live Retrospective of Shows & Stars* including highlights from The World of Webber, The Broadway Divas, You’ve Got A Friend: The Carole King Songbook, This One’s For You: The Songs of Barry Manilow, From Motown With Love, JOEL: The Band, and more…!

Featuring Performances By

With  Pianist, Kenji Higashihama and Master of Ceremonies Antioch Classical Theatre Company’s Sean J. O’Neil
*FINAL PERFORMERS AND PERFORMANCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Tickets: Reserved Seating

Gold Circle (1st 3 rows): All Ages – $50 (includes one commemorative wine glass per ticket)
Adults: $35  Seniors: (62 & Over): $30  Youth (Under 18): $25

We do not charge convenience fees ~ Save time – Buy Online www.elcampaniltheatre.com/anniversary.html

Box Office (next door to theatre) 925-757-9500 Tues – Fri 10am – 2pm and one hour before events at 602 W. 2nd Street (corner of 2nd & G Streets near the waterfront).

The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will present “The Trumpet Shall Sound” on Saturday, November 10 at 2:00 pm in the extraordinary El Campanil Theatre in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.

Joe Brown, 2nd trumpet in the SF Ballet Orchestra, will perform Alan Hovhaness’ lush, dream-like Prayer of Saint Gregory and Johann Hummel’s shimmering and virtuosic Concerto for Trumpet in Eb.

Also on the program are California-based composer Nick Benavides’s mesmerizing Magnetismus, and the heart-rending Adagio from Leos Janacek’s Idyll. The program will close with Haydn’s Symphony No. 82, nicknamed “The Bear” because the last movement has a section reminiscent of bagpipe music used to accompany dancing bears for several centuries in Europe.

The orchestra’s magnetic new conductor, Chad Goodman, was featured on the cover of the October issue of Diablo Magazine. Throughout the program he will engage the audience by sharing fascinating background information on the composers and their work.

Tickets – Adults $20, Seniors (62 & over) $15, Youth (17 & under) $7. Call El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. 2nd Street at 925-757-9500 or visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

For more information: www.ContraCostaChamberOrchestra.org