Rockwall police looking for vandals behind possible hate crimes

ROCKWALL, Texas - A Rockwall apartment complex is planning to install surveillance cameras after a series of vandalism incidents.

Police are still looking for the suspects. When they find them, they could be charged with a hate crime.

Residents of the Rockwall Commons apartment complex said the vandalism started in August and keeps getting worse. Investigators are looking into some incidents as arson.

“I'm just lost for words, you know, it's just something has to be done,” said resident Taylor Moore.

Moore recalled the first incident. Someone painted a giant swastika on the wall. Other residents shared pictures of graffiti with phrases like “white power” and “black will die” spray painted in the elevators.

Things kept happening from there. Rockwall police said someone poured gasoline down the trash chute on Sept. 25.

“The fumes, I felt like I was sitting in a well with nothing but gas. It was that heavy and it was just scary,” said Moore.

“That could've been very disastrous. There could've been ramifications from that. Not just fumes, but if somebody would've lit something, who knows what would've happened,” said Karen Duckworth, another resident.

Last Friday, someone started a fire in the elevator. Police have been going door to door asking for tips and handing out Crime Stoppers information.

“Anytime you've got property damage like that you have to worry about escalation on what's going to happen next,” said Rockwall Police Sgt. Jeff Welch.

Apartment managers said they are installing cameras and working with police to catch the people responsible.

“Somebody's trying to send a message, and I don't know what that message is,” said Moore. “I just wish they would realize what y’all are doing to some of the people here emotionally.”

There is a reward for tips leading to an arrest. Both the Rockwall police and fire departments plan to hold a meeting with residents at the apartments Tuesday night.