LAPD is still investigating an act of vandalism at the USC Chabad co-directors’ house that occurred late Tuesday evening.
Videos and photos posted to the USC Chabad Instagram show two unidentified suspects kicking and shattering the house’s glass door before fleeing on bikes alongside two others.
“Two thugs just smashed the glass on our front door and ran off,” reads the caption of the video. “Hoping @uscedu DPS can track them.”
Chabad is an organization for Jewish communities with chapters at over 850 universities worldwide, and hosts events and trips for students. The co-directors’ house serves as the current USC Chabad House while a more permanent site is under construction.
Rabbi Dov and Runya Wagner, who run the center, were home with their family at the time of the incident.
“I don’t know if this was ‘regular’ vandalism or intentionally targeted, but either way it is so upsetting that a place that has served as a home away from home for thousands of students at USC … was attacked in this way,” Rabbi Wagner said in a statement to the Daily Trojan.
The Department of Public Safety’s daily crime and fire log describes the actions as a “hate/bias incident.”
DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle said LAPD was investigating the incident in a statement to Los Angeles Magazine.
LAPD is yet to respond to Annenberg Media’s request for a statement. The university has not made any statements regarding the incident.