Police Launch Criminal Investigation into Graffiti at Avon High School [Update 6:40 p.m., Jan. 24]

School officials discovered threats written on school property at Avon High School Thursday.

Avon police are currently conducting a criminal investigation into the incident, Avon Police Lt. Kelly Walsh said. No one was in immediate danger, she said.

"The threats were directed at school staff, destruction of school property and racial and anti-Semitic epithets," Avon Police Capt. Jeffrey Blatter said in a written statement late Thursday afternoon.

When asked about the content of the threats and the medium used to write them, Walsh declined to comment further because of the ongoing investigation.

The graffiti was reported to police at 1:17 p.m., according to Blatter. Avon police officers and detectives responded, Walsh said.

The threats were written on two bathroom walls at the high school, Avon Superintendent of Schools Gary Mala wrote in a letter to the community after visiting the school in the afternoon to be briefed on the incident. Police were at the school when he arrived, he said. 

"I wish to stress that at no time was the safety or security of Avon High School compromised," Mala wrote in his letter. "Additionally, we are using all available resources and processes to respond properly and will keep you updated as appropriate."

The department is working with the Avon Public Schools Central Office in the investigation, Walsh said.

"School officials are following appropriate processes in response to what was discovered," police said in the press release.

Students will return to school on Friday.

"We do not anticipate any interruption to the school schedule," Mala said in his letter.

The incident did not cause any delay to a pre-scheduled eighth-grade orientation event at the high school and the parking lot was packed in the evening.

If you have information on the written threats, Avon police request that you contact police dispatch at 860-409-4200.

Editor's Note: This story was last updated at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24 to incorporate information from Superintendent Gary Mala's written letter to the community.