The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

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April 24, 2024

Police investigating graffiti incident at Pyle

Montgomery County Police and MCPS security are currently investigating graffiti discovered May 14 at Pyle Middle School on the wall by the tennis courts.

Graffiti covers the wall of Pyle Middle School. Police are currently investigating the incident. Photo by Eyal Hanfling.

The wall was defaced sometime between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, and MCPS maintenance cleaned the graffiti off the building Sunday, Pyle principal Jennifer Webster said in an email. This is Pyle’s first incident of graffiti on an exterior wall this year, Webster said.

“I am impressed and grateful to MCPS security and maintenance, as well as the Bethesda police, for how quickly they responded to this issue,” Webster wrote in a Pylenet email.

A spray paint can lies near the wall. Photo by Eyal Hanfling.

Police declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation. There are no concrete leads or suspects in the investigation yet, Webster said in an email.

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Some Pyle students said they were scared after the rare graffiti incident, especially because the graffiti depicted a bomb detonating.

“I don’t know people who would do that at Pyle,” said seventh grader Emily Bernhard. “It’s kind of threatening to the school.”

This summer, Pyle was the last MCPS middle school to receive security cameras.

This is the first instance of graffiti on the outside of the building this year, Pyle principal Jennifer Webster said. Photo by Eyal Hanfling.

“Unfortunately, the cameras are all inside the building,” Webster said in an email. “We will review them, but I fear they won’t be useful. I’m going to investigate what needs to be done to add cameras outside the building as well.”

If you have any information about the incident, please contact the police’s anonymous crime tips hotline at 240-773-TIPS (8477).

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Comments (21)

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  • J

    Justin LeeMay 15, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    The police should really do something about this.

  • A

    anonMay 20, 2011 at 8:03 am

    interesting…

  • S

    SpockMay 19, 2011 at 11:22 am

    That seems logical.

  • R

    R. KerrMay 18, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    Is this article popular solely because of its potential for snarky commenting?

  • F

    FreshmanMay 17, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

  • W

    wolframMay 17, 2011 at 1:42 pm

    I see sarcasm. It’s everywhere.

  • .

    ...May 17, 2011 at 11:06 am

  • F

    Former Graffiti WriterMay 17, 2011 at 11:03 am

    That graffiti is the ugliest piece of trash I have ever seen. The students really suck and I hope they read this and have their self-esteem lowered significantly. This is really a shame to the entire community, especially the art community. Whoever did this, YOU SUCK, STOP WRITING, GET A NEW HOBBY.

  • P

    Pyle StudentMay 17, 2011 at 8:32 am

    I don’t think anyone from Pyle saw it in person, it was gone Monday morning. But still, sad.

  • A

    anonymousMay 16, 2011 at 8:59 pm

    what does it evven say?

  • (

    (Another) freshman (girl)May 16, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    Well, if it’s such a big deal, the police could test for fingerprints on the spray can, but I think that’s pretty extreme. I myself didn’t go to Pyle, but suppose I can sympathize. Though, graffiti doesn’t really harm anyone…I mean, yes, it’s not good, and yes, there’s a bomb, but it’s not doing anything bad. We have a lot of graffiti in the bathroom stalls (don’t know how it is for guys, but it’s probably the same)at Whitman, and while some of it can be vulgar, no one really cares enough to be upset.

  • F

    FreshmanMay 16, 2011 at 1:02 pm

    The current 8th grade’s equivalent of the sexting scandal of 2010.

  • K

    Kit HortonMay 16, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    It’s not even good graffiti.

  • S

    Slick SalamanderMay 16, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    oh no! :O 🙁 D: -.-

  • D

    Dr.BobMay 16, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    They drew a bomb. I think its a bomb threat. They should evacuate Pyle immediately until further notice. I HAVE SPOKEN

  • C

    chadMay 16, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    yea this graffiti sucks

  • S

    SpockMay 16, 2011 at 11:23 am

    NOT THE WALL!!!!!! HOWEVER WILL WE GO ON?

  • B

    Brett JohnsonMay 16, 2011 at 9:09 am

    It is sad considering i go to that school

  • J

    jonathon liuMay 16, 2011 at 8:37 am

    o that is just terrible we must find who did this

  • A

    Alistair wilderMay 16, 2011 at 8:31 am

    thats very unfortunate for the community. alll my support goes out to the students of pyle.

    I hope u get though this.

  • S

    Sally DadkissMay 15, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    OH NO! Just think of all the education! It’s ruined!!!!