Surveillance shows vandals who wrote racial slur on cars at Providence College
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Providence College has shared surveillance images showing a group of vandals that etched the N-word on some students' cars, including one that belongs to a Black basketball player.
The racial slur was written in frost on multiple vehicles in the Glay student parking lot sometime between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday, campus security officials said.
"This is outrageous and entirely unacceptable, and I want you to know that the Office of Public Safety and the Providence Police Department are investigating this matter aggressively. We will do everything we can to find the person or persons responsible and hold them accountable," the Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, the college president, wrote in a campus-wide email. "While this act appears to be random in nature, at least one of the vehicles that was involved is owned by a student of color."
Sicard said he unequivocally condemned the behavior and offered support to those affected. Students are also denouncing the cold-hearted hate.
"It's honestly heartbreaking to think that somebody would just write that on a car and leave," student Erin Doane told NBC 10 News.
The on-campus vandalism happened around the same time of another chaotic scene just off-campus on Pembroke Avenue.
In the off-campus incident, Providence police said seven cars were damaged including having their windows smashed.
"It hasn't been this bad in Providence since I've been a student here and I'm a senior," said Doane. "So, yeah, definitely walking in groups. Trying to be mindful all the time."
Nobody in either act is believed to be a Providence College student, according to a spokesperson with the school.
"I just hope that the people that did this get caught and that we can move forward together, stronger, as a community," freshman Diego Garcia said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Providence College Office of Public Safety or Providence police.
