Calgary man charged with 2 of 11 church vandalisms this summer
Police say charges have been laid against a Calgary man in connection with acts of vandalism of two local churches this summer.
Investigators add the suspect is one of a number of people believed to be involved in a rash of incidents they surmise is connected to the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves outside Canada’s former residential schools.
Orange and red paint was splashed on 11 different churches on the night of June 30.
According to police,at one location a window was smashed so paint could be thrown inside.
"Handprints, the number '215' and other markings suggest the vandalism was in response to the graves recently found at former residential schools," police said in a July news release.
Police later released CCTV photos of the suspects.
According to the latest developments, a break in the case came in August, when a detective attending an unrelated incident noticed a man who looked like one of the suspects in the photos.
"The identification of the suspect led to further evidence coming to light and charges have now been laid in connection with two of the church vandalisms," police said.
Sebastian Rodriguez-Huerta is charged with two counts of mischief to a property primarily used for religious worship.
Sacred Heart Church"It is alleged that these incidents also meet the threshold of being hate-motivated crime," police said.
"Hate-motivated crimes are recognizable crimes, like assault, theft, vandalism or any other crime, where the offender was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate that is based on one of nine personal characteristics of the victim.
"Any evidence of a hate motivation is considered by the courts after a person is found guilty of the connected crime. If the judge decides during sentencing that hate was a motivation for the offence, it is an aggravating factor that can add to the convicted person’s sentence."
Police are continuing to investigate the church vandalisms as well as a case of arson involving a church at around that same time.
Anyone with information on the church vandalisms or the church arson is asked to call the Calgary Police Service's non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or by contacting Crime Stoppers.
"Our service continues to be aware of the ongoing trauma and tensions in the community regarding the tragic and heartbreaking stories about the residential school system that have been shared this year," police said.
"We want to assure the community that we are fully committed to working towards peaceful reconciliation and a recognition of our past, while still performing our duties of upholding the law and protecting public safety."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.