GILBERT, AZ — A Gilbert family is searching for answers after their home was vandalized for the second time in three months — this time with a homophobic slur spray-painted on the garage door.
On Friday night, surveillance cameras captured two people throwing food at the home and spray-painting a homophobic slur on the garage door directed at one of the family's sons.
"I'm sitting there minding my own business, 10:20 on Friday night and I hear a crash," the homeowner, who ABC15 has chosen not to identify in order to protect their privacy, said.
The homeowner said he went outside to find the damage.
"I walked outside and I saw glitter bombs. Saw eggshells. Saw the driveway smeared with rotting food and saw my entire garage door was covered in graffiti with a slur directed at one of my sons," he told ABC15.
One of the vandals was caught on camera signing the work, tagging the name "Sparxie," believed to be a reference to a video game character, before fleeing the scene. Surveillance footage shows the vandals running towards the fence line in the gated community, which they could have hopped to get away.
It is the second time this family has been targeted in the last few months. In December, Gilbert Police investigated two people who shot fireworks at the same home.
"Lighting those and throwing those at the garage and also the front door area," Gilbert Police Public Information Officer Sheppard said.
The suspects in both incidents look similar but Gilbert Police are not definitively linking the two cases yet. They are calling on anyone with information to come forward, hoping the suspects themselves come forward on their own, calling it the easiest outcome for the vandals. Police know someone out there has information.
"I'd encourage their friends, do the right thing. Lead with character and leadership. Go to your parents and let them know you have that information and let parents facilitate passing on that knowledge," Sheppard said.
Neighbors and friends have already rallied around the family, offering to power wash and clean up the mess. The family hopes it will not happen again.
"The main thing is I don't want this to happen to us again. And I don't want it to happen to anyone else, especially people who are minding their own business. One of the reasons we live in this neighborhood is we're low profile people, we're not looking for attention. We're just trying to work jobs, live our lives, raise our kids," the homeowner said.
Anonymous tips can be submitted online to Gilbert Police.
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