The St. Louis County Police Department announced Thursday that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the racist grafitti incidents at two Affton School District schools. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 18-year-old Patrick Sloan, a former Affton student and graduate, in connection with the graffiti that defaced Affton High School and Rogers Middle School in the past week.
Sloan, an Affton resident, has been charged with two counts of Property Damage Motivated by Discrimination (Second Degree) and is being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond.
Investigators identified Sloan through surveillance footage and multiple witnesses, including a family member, who confirmed his identity. According to police, Sloan later admitted responsibility for the vandalism to a relative.
Affton School District responds
In a statement to families, Affton School District confirmed Sloan’s connection to the schools and expressed gratitude to the St. Louis County Police Department for its work in the investigation.
“While this development provides some relief, we recognize the deep impact these hateful acts have had on our students, families, team and community,” the district said. “The outpouring of support from Affton families, neighbors and beyond has been overwhelming. This week has been difficult, but it has also reaffirmed what we already knew: Affton is strong, resilient and united in our values of respect, inclusion and kindness.”
Superintendent Dr. Travis Bracht emphasized the district’s commitment to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.
“Hate has no home in Affton,” Bracht said. “This incident does not define us—our response does. We will continue working with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the St. Louis Holocaust Museum and other community partners to provide support, resources and learning opportunities for students and staff.”
Affton families are invited to a Community Conversation with the ADL on Monday, March 31, at 6:30 p.m. in the Affton High School Cafeteria to discuss the impact of the incidents and reinforce the district’s commitment to inclusion.
Timeline of incidents and investigation
- March 6 – A suspect was seen stealing two cans of black spray paint from a local hardware store.
- March 7 – Affton High School was vandalized with racist graffiti, including swastikas and white supremacist slogans.
- March 12 – Rogers Middle School was similarly defaced overnight, prompting an investigation by the St. Louis County Police Department.
- March 13 – The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges against Sloan after multiple witnesses, including a family member, identified him from surveillance footage. According to police, Sloan admitted responsibility to a relative.
Security footage from Rogers Middle School captured an individual wearing all black clothing, a black raincoat and a bandana covering his face defacing the building. Detectives connected the suspect to the earlier theft of spray paint and a comparison of mannerisms and movement between incidents helped investigators confirm his identity.
Community response and security measures
The Affton School District has strongly condemned the acts of hate and increased security measures to prevent further incidents.
“While these acts of hate do not define us, they have reinforced our commitment to ensuring the safety of our students, staff and school buildings,” Bracht said.
The district is:
- Increasing security presence at all schools.
- Enhancing after-hours monitoring to prevent further vandalism.
- Adding an additional school resource officer (SRO) for the 2025-26 school year.
Ongoing support and next steps
The St. Louis County Police Department continues to lead the investigation, with detectives urging anyone with information to come forward.
The St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and ADL Heartland have reiterated their commitment to standing with the Affton community.
“We unequivocally condemn this second act of vandalism in Affton and stand with the school and the community as a committed partner,” said Helen Turner, director of education at the Holocaust Museum.
“We continue to be disgusted by the targeting of Affton schools with hateful graffiti,” said Jordan Kadosh, regional director of ADL Heartland. “We are grateful to law enforcement for their swift response and remain committed to supporting the Affton school community.”
The Missouri Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission has emphasized that education is key to combating hate and all Missouri schools will be required to include Holocaust education by the 2025-26 school year.
How you can help
The St. Louis County Police Department urges anyone with additional information to contact Detective Stickman at 636-529-8210. Police have asked the public not to leave tips on social media but to reach out directly.
This remains a developing story. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.
