Bethesda elementary school vandalized with graffiti honoring school shooter

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BETHESDA, Md. - Police in Montgomery County are investigating after a Bethesda-area elementary school was vandalized on Saturday for the second time in the last several days.

Graffiti found on school fence

What we know:

In a letter to the school community on Saturday, Montgomery County Public Schools reported that graffiti was found on a fence at Bradley Hills Elementary School.

Specifically, the message read "RIP Adam Lanza." 

Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

The backstory:

Lanza shot and killed 20 young children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012. All the schoolchildren killed were between the ages of 6 and 7.

In his letter, MCPS Chief of Schools Dr. Peter Moran appeared to interpret the graffiti as a threat.

 "The use of the name of an individual responsible for such a heinous act, one that involved the loss of life of young school children, can only be interpreted as an act intended to intimidate and cause fear within the Bradley Hills School community, and the broader neighborhood and community, too," Moran said.

Bradley Hills Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade.

Recent vandalism

Dig deeper:

The timing of the graffiti was also suspect. According to Moran, a storage shed was intentionally set on fire on school grounds in the past week.

Moran said that it's not yet clear if the two incidents are connected.

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What they're saying:

School officials acknowledged that the incidents were "extremely unsettling and concerning for students, families, staff and neighbors," but added that "school leaders, security team members and our law enforcement partners are taking this very seriously."

What's next:

In response to both incidents, both police and school district security are increasing their presence on campus starting on Monday, with increased patrols through the weekend.