This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. Last updated Feb. 19 at 3:37 p.m.
The Northwestern University Police Department arrested a suspect for antisemitic graffiti found on campus, a University spokesperson confirmed in a Wednesday afternoon statement to The Daily.
The University spokesperson named the suspect as Shahid Hussain, who is not affiliated with NU. He was taken into custody Feb. 12, according to a follow-up statement Wednesday to The Daily.
He faces criminal charges of hate crime, trespassing and criminal damage to property over $500, the spokesperson told The Daily on Thursday. His next court date has been set for March 13.
After NUPD informed the Evanston Police Department that a person of interest was at large, EPD Cmdr. Chelsea Brown told The Daily on Thursday, an EPD officer located the suspect in downtown Evanston and detained him, then called the NUPD.
“We are grateful for the work of the Northwestern University and the Evanston Police Departments in identifying and arresting the suspect,” the University spokesperson wrote in the initial statement Wednesday.
NU launched an investigation after discovering graffiti on campus Feb. 1. The University “immediately removed it or painted it over,” according to the spokesperson.
A student posted a photo of one of the hate symbols, which resembles a swastika, to the platform Fizz on Feb. 2.
Separately, EPD is investigating multiple reports of antisemitic vandalism off campus. EPD has not yet publicly identified a suspect or made any arrests, according to Brown.
Email: [email protected]
X: @ak_newsom
Bluesky: @aknewsom.bsky.social
Email: [email protected]
X: @jdowb2005
Related Stories:
— Northwestern launches investigation into antisemitic hate symbols painted around campus
— Evanston Police investigating alleged park bench vandalism involving antisemitic hate symbols
