SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Vandals damaged the newly dedicated Officer Austin Machitar Memorial Park in San Diego overnight, covering the memorial sign and surrounding areas with graffiti just days after the park's public dedication ceremony.
San Diego police discovered the vandalism Thursday morning when officers driving by noticed the memorial sign covered in paint. The park was dedicated to fallen Officer Austin Machitar this past Sunday in a public ceremony honoring his service to the community.
"And to see this morning the level of disrespect by vandalizing this sign, vandalizing this entire park, I'm angered beyond words," Chief Scott Wahl said.
Machitar served on the police force for five years, spending much of his time in the Clairemont area. The park was named after him because of his strong connections to the Clairemont community.
The damage extends beyond just the memorial sign. Vandals also targeted sidewalks and a neighboring building throughout the park area.
San Diego Police Department estimates the memorial sign will cost around $12,000 to replace. The total damage to the entire park, including the sidewalks and neighboring building, is expected to reach approximately $100,000.
Mayor Todd Gloria issued a statement about the vandalism, expressing his anger about the situation.
“I am furious that just days after we came together as a community to honor Officer Austin Machitar — a man who gave his life in service to this city — someone chose to vandalize and desecrate the memorial to this hero," the mayor said.
Less than a week ago, Chief Wahl helped showcase the new memorial honoring Officer Austin Machitar. The name of the park was also renamed after him. Machitar patrolled the area as part of SDPD's Northern Division.
"That is honoring the sacrifice of an officer who served here for 5 years, putting his life on the line for other people, and he paid that ultimate sacrifice. And now his family is carrying that burden for the rest of their lives to see this type of disrespect for a place that is supposed to honor him and his family is really sickening," Wahl said.
Machitar died in August of last year. He was in the area of a call involving a 16-year-old suspect who sped away from a traffic stop. The suspect crashed into Machitar's vehicle, killing both the teen and Machitar.
Sunday, hundreds gathered to honor him and his legacy. But Thursday brought a different tone as workers sprayed water on the paint, doing a deep clean of the graffiti and cleaning up the area.
There's a $1,500 reward through Crime Stoppers for anyone who has more information. There's also a campaign to raise money for a new sign. Donations can be made at sdpoa.org.
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