SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A local church pastor is appealing for information after vandals left their mark hours before a controversial worship leader was set to lead an event.
Days later, the reminders of a vandalism spree remain.
"I was just shocked and saddened by what took place.” said Troy Singleterry, lead pastor at City View Assemblies of God Church in Mission Valley. “I wasn’t angry. I was just really saddened.”
Just before Christmas, the church held a holiday gathering for Ukrainian refugees.
Days later, Pastor Singleterry got a request. Sean Feucht, founder of the Let Us Worship movement — who has taken aim at COVID restrictions and the Black Lives Matter movement, needed a new, indoor New Year’s Eve venue because of the rainy forecast.
Pastor Singleterry agreed to host the free, praise and worship event.
“They had a need and we met it … It was a worship night. It was a night to bring in a new year, loving God,” said Singleterry.
Less than 24 hours before it was to take place, some church workers doing a sound check for the event made an early morning discovery.
A window and door were shattered. Across two buildings were several dozen taggings, which appeared to go after Feucht's event.
In total, the damage from the vandalism, from repairing the shattered glass to power washing and painting over the graffiti, will top more than $10,000.
“I think it was hate. It was fear and intimidation for this event not to take place,” said Singleterry.
Hours after the vandalism was discovered, dozens of volunteers turned up to help clean up.
“What we saw at 8 o'clock was cleaned up by 2, and it was incredible,” said Singleterry.
On New Year's Eve, some 1,700 people would show up for the event.
Pastor Singleterry, who says he forgives and prays for the vandals, still hopes they are identified.
“I think everyone should be held accountable for something that they’ve done that involves hate. Hopefully justice will prevail and they'll be able to find who did this,” said Singleterry.
A San Diego Police spokesperson told ABC 10News detectives are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call San Diego Police at 619-531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477,
A giving campaign has been set up to help the church, including costs related to the vandalism.
