SUMMIT COUNTY — The Summit County Sheriff's Office is offering a $2,500 reward for information after a re-election campaign sign for Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons was vandalized.
According to a release from the Sheriff's Office, they were notified Sunday morning that a "FitzSimons for Sheriff" sign in the Lakeview Meadows neighborhood outside of Breckenridge had been defaced. Someone had spray-painted a swastika and the letters "SS" (an abbreviation for the Nazi party force, the Schutzstaffel) on it.
In a statement released to media, FitzSimons said his office would cooperate with the District Attorney's Office and the FBI to investigate the matter.
"This particular banner that was vandalized I had just repaired after it was cut down two nights ago," FitzSimons said to 9NEWS over the phone. "Now it's sprayed with this spray paint."
He said the DA would be the lead investigative agency into this since he can't have his office investigate a crime committed against his reelection campaign.
Opponent Derek Woodman condemned the vandalism on his campaign's Facebook page, stating he was disheartened and disappointed. He added that he in no way condones or appreciates the act.
The Sheriff's Office said two of FitzSimons' yard signs had also been vandalized as well as some "1A for Summit" political signs. They're asking anyone with information about the vandalism to call the non-emergency dispatch line at 970-668-8600 and request a Summit County sheriff's deputy.
