BELLINGHAM — The Western Washington University student arrested in connection with on-campus racist and homophobic vandalism has been charged with a hate crime.
The Bellingham Herald reports that court records show 20-year-old Shayne Robert Merwin of Gold Bar is now facing one count of malicious harassment, Washington state’s felony hate crime statute, in addition to the second-degree burglary charge, also a felony.
Merwin’s arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday.
On Nov. 18, students at WWU reported racist graffiti at Nash Residence Hall. Authorities say a University police officer spoke with a man who said he overheard Merwin talking about finding an electronic key and using a marker to deface property with racial slurs and threats of sexual violence. Attempts to locate an attorney for Merwin weren’t immediately successful.
The following day, a racial epithet was found on the Wright’s Triangle sculpture near the Ross Engineering Building and a poster in front of Arntzen Hall was defaced with racist language. An additional racist word was found on a pillar at Fairhaven College.