By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Area office building blighted by graffiti
Obscenities sprayed on a Gainesville business center
Placeholder Image

When employees arrived for work at the Academy Oak Business Center in Gainesville, they immediately noticed something was there that shouldn't be.

That something was offensive writing scrawled across the pavement in front of the office building at the intersection of Oak and West Academy streets.

Someone used white spray paint to write a series of obscenities in the parking lot, which is located near the Hall County Library branch on Main Street.

Among other things, the vandals scribbled "Wites hates (n-word)" and "KKK." The graffiti has now been covered with black paint.

"This is out of the norm for something like this to happen in this community," said Lt. Carol Martin, of the Gainesville Police Department.

Although the incident happened around a week ago, law enforcement officials are no closer to solving the criminal trespass case than they were when they responded to the call on Sept. 3.

Officials don't have any suspects, but they have tentatively ruled out gang activity.

"We don't believe this is gang related," Martin said.
"There's nothing to indicate that it was (gang related) - there were no distinguishing marks."

The location of the graffiti could have been selected randomly or it could have been directed toward one of the building's tenants. The Internal Revenue Service, Koch Foods and WellCare HMO are among the building's occupants.

Authorities suspect the incident occurred between 5 p.m. on Sept. 2 and 3 a.m. Sept. 3.

If anyone has information about the incident, they are asked to contact the Gainesville Police Department at 770-534-5252 or the department's tip line at 770-533-5873 if the caller wants to remain anonymous.