TUCSON, Ariz. — A church was vandalized on the westside of Tucson. Tucson police are investigating satanic graffiti sprayed at Flowing Wells Assembly of God.
Satanic messages, profanity and symbols. That is what members of this church woke up to Thursday morning. They called pastor Steve Collins right away and he reported the vandalism to TPD.
Collins has pastored at this church for about 25 years. He said vandalism has happened here before, but nothing of this magnitude.
"We have had things like this from time to time but nothing to this scale. They did mostly the front of the church or a few squares of the front of the church. And then all around the van. They did some signs in the back of the property," said Collins.
The satanic messages are now covered up, but in a matter of hours after the discovery, members of the church pitched in and helped paint over and scrub off graffiti off of the van and the building. Sending a message of love and resilience.
"And we've already got it finished and covered because we house five ministries here. So when people saw it, heard it, they came. We had plenty of parishioners here helping to cover it up. I wouldn't have a dollar value for you, but just that part of the paint job and to clean the van would probably be several thousand dollars," said Collins.
"Love covers a multitude of sins so the paint covered a multitude of paint. But we don't know the people, we pray it doesn't happen again. But we just want to be able to minister to people that are hurting. And obviously, somebody is hurting," said Collins.
TPD says the tagging happened between midnight and 6AM, and that the investigation is on-going. As for the church, Collins said, it will press charges once a suspect is found.
