Sheriff Victor Grayson has reported that the old elementary school building on the east side of town was vandalized by homemade explosives early Tuesday morning. The school was decommissioned by the City Council back in 2002, and it has sat empty and unused ever since. Due to neglect, the building was in poor condition, with the area around it marked off to keep people out. An inspection of the school grounds in late 2017 deemed it unsafe for anyone to enter the premises, and recommended it be torn down.

An investigation of the site by the Emerson Valley Fire Department found that the vandals used small explosives created from common household items to destroy large sections of the crumbling school. There were reports of suspicious activity and loud booms called in by residents around the area between 2:00 and 3:00 AM. By the time the authorities arrived on the scene, the perpetrators were gone, and the building was nearly in rubbles. A clean-up effort has been proposed by the City Council, but they are waiting to convene for an official session before committing to anything.

An investigation is currently underway to track down the vandals. Sheriff Grayson has requested that anyone with information concerning the matter contact the Emerson Valley Sheriff’s Department as soon as possible. He has warned residents that live near other condemned buildings around town to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in the area, as the vandals may strike again.

-Sarah Donovan, Editor & Local News, Emerson Valley Gazette