Group breaks glass doors, window at Olympia’s Lee Creighton Justice Center late Friday
A group of people mostly dressed in black broke glass doors and a window at the building that contains Olympia’s jail and court offices late Friday night and smashed windows of city vehicles parked outside, Olympia Police say.
The vandalism occurred rapidly, Lt. Paul Lower told The Olympian Saturday, “within minutes.”
About 9:25 p.m. Friday, a city corrections officer notified dispatch that 15-20 people were gathering at the Lee Creighton Justice Center at 900 Plum Street SE, Lower said. About the same time, a citizen called dispatch to say a group was throwing rocks at city employees, he said.
Moments later, the corrections officer reported that the front doors to the Municipal Court were shattered and another window in the courthouse complex had been damaged, Lower said. Many, if not all windows of three city-owned vehicles parked in a lot south of the building were also reportedly smashed.
When officers arrived, the group split into several smaller groups and dispersed, Lower said — officers were able to contact at least a few people involved, but were not able to confirm they caused the damage and did not make any arrests.
About an hour later, two opposing groups gathered in front of Olympia City Hall downtown, Lower said, and argued with one another. One woman from each group was involved in a physical altercation, according to Lower. Officers responded and reviewed information, including video footage, Lower said, but were unable to ascertain who might have been at fault.
A report from that incident will likely be referred to the City Prosecutor, Lower said.
With the recent spate of late-night vandalism, the Olympia Police Department has been heightening its presence in the downtown core, Lower said, and will continue to have extra staff through the weekend working the area.
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