Woman Charged in Summer Vandalism of Gettysburg Battlefield, College Campus
This photo shows the graffiti found at Oak Ridge observation tower on the grounds of Gettysburg National Military Park. The tower is located less than half a mile from campus and is a popular spot for Gettysburg students. (Photo courtesy Gettysburg Police Department)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
A woman has been charged in connection to using spray paint to vandalize a number of locations around Gettysburg, including the battlefield, the borough and at Gettysburg College’s Musselman Stadium.
Suzanne Weiser was charged by the Gettysburg Police Department on Thursday in connection to the vandalism, which took place in August. She faces misdemeanor charges for intentional desecration of a public monument, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
On Aug. 15 and 19, National Parks Service staff discovered graffiti on stones at Little Round Top and then at Oak Ridge Observation Tower, located less than half a mile from campus. The graffiti was successfully removed, but the clean-up cost the NPS more than $900.
Gettysburg National Military Park superintendent Kristina Heister commented on the vandalism: “Our hearts sank when these two cases of vandalism were reported within days of each other. We were fearful that the graffiti carved into the rock may be there for future generations. I’m so very thankful for our amazing preservation staff who expertly restored these sites quickly so visitors could continue to experience them as they were intended. They truly are the heroes of this hallowed ground!”
These photos show the graffiti before and after its removal by the National Parks Service. (Photos via NPS).
On Aug. 19 and 20, Campus Safety alerted police to similar vandalism through spray-painted messages found on campus. Police were informed that graffiti was found in two locations on campus: the two brick pillars in front of Musselman Stadium and on another set of brick entrance-way pillars located elsewhere on campus. This vandalism cost the College about $100 to clean, according to the police.
The graffiti contained messages such as “the dead will rise,” “hope lives here” and “hope wins.”
In the early hours of Aug. 20, police received a report of someone spray-painting the walls of businesses in Racehorse Alley. Later, police were alerted to more graffiti found at an auto shop on York Street.
Police obtained Gettysburg College surveillance footage of a suspicious vehicle in proximity to the vandalized locations. They used this, along with security footage from a local laundromat that the driver of the vehicle entered, to identify the suspect as a white female with blonde hair.
After police posted pictures of the suspect online, Weiser’s father contacted police and identified the suspect as his daughter. He told police that she had been suffering from mental health problems.
Weiser now awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Dec. 4.
This photo shows the message “hope wins” spray painted onto a wall in the Gettysburg borough. (Photo courtesy Gettysburg Police Department)
