Gettysburg police identify suspected vandal in national park, visitors react

ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Police announced Wednesday that they know who vandalized parts of Gettysburg National Military Park.

Petrified wood carvings are just a few examples of a series of vandalism incidents throughout the city.

Police told me they knew who was responsible for the graffiti, which is why the pictures of the suspect posted earlier in the day were removed.

However, they said they still had not arrested the person due to extenuating circumstances.

Meanwhile, visitors to the park and residents in the area said they were saddened by the damage.

“I’m more disappointed than anything. This is a historic place and I don’t think what happened here should be forgotten,” said Zachary Kemler of Bloomsburg.

For the many people who travel from all over the world to visit Gettysburg National Park, such as Djil Heckel, who came from France, this vandalism on historic land is hard to forget.

“It hurts my heart. I’m shaking a little because so many people have died,” he said.

According to the park, employees found several boulders with scratches at Little Round Top last Thursday.

The park said that just four days later, a visitor reported spray-painted graffiti on the Oak Ridge Observation Tower on Doubleday Avenue. The graffiti included phrases such as “Here Hope Lives” and “The Dead Will Rise.”

READ MORE |“The dead will rise”: Vandalism reported at Gettysburg College observation tower

In addition, columns daubed with crossed-out heart symbols were discovered on the campus of Gettysburg College.

Additionally, phrases such as “Hope prevails” and the same hearts were painted on walls and trash cans in West Racehorse Alley.

“We were afraid that the vandalism that had been scratched and etched into the surface of the boulder would be so bad that we would not be able to repair it and people would not be able to see it again, not just for months or years to come, but perhaps even for generations,” said Jason Martz, communications specialist

Fortunately, the boulders have now been cleaned by park maintenance staff. However, they will never look the same again.

Martz said the property is part of American history and its destruction could have serious consequences.

“These are federal charges, and each incident carries a penalty of up to six months in prison, up to $5,000 in fines and restitution,” he said.

The National Park Service and Gettysburg Borough Police thanked the public for their help in identifying the person responsible for the spraying.