Douglas County, CO – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating a troubling act of vandalism that occurred in the late night hours of August 25th, 2023, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. A Douglas County Patrol Deputy spotted the graffiti at 7 a.m., just hours before the PrideFest event began. The incident involved the spray painting of derogatory language, specifically the word “groomers,” on county fairgrounds property and vehicles. Douglas County Sheriff’s investigators are treating this incident as a bias-motivated crime and are committed to bringing the responsible individual to justice.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly expressed his strong condemnation of the incident, stating, “We stand united against all forms of hate speech and bias-motivated actions in Douglas County. We want to reassure the public that we will not tolerate such behavior, and our detectives are working diligently to identify the person behind this reprehensible act.”
The attached pictures are the person of interest in this case. The individual was wearing a blue sweatshirt, tan pants, and a facemask. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information about this person’s identity to come forward and assist in the investigation. The cooperation of the community is essential in ensuring that such incidents are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Please contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP. You can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to upholding the values of tolerance, respect, and unity, and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents.
