Vandals spray-paint racial slurs and swastikas on cars in Phoenix neighborhood

PHOENIX - A recent string of explicit vandalism has targeted a Valley neighborhood. 

Seven cars have been spray-painted in what Phoenix Police are calling bias-related crimes.

Homeowners first thought it was a random one-time thing, but on Saturday neighbors woke up to more cars spray-painted with offensive slurs and swastikas in the same neighborhood near 24th Street and Thomas Road.

"It’s kind of absurd, really. It's a peculiar situation, to say the least," said victim Chris Horak.

What happened?

The morning of Juneteenth, Horak woke up to a spray-painted car. 

Neighbors described what was spray-painted as aggressive, offensive, and racist.

"You know you go round, and you try and just be a good person and it’s just not so cool," Horak said.

Horak thought it was a random one-off occurrence until it happened again.

He isn't the only one. Police say nine cars were vandalized around the Green Gables neighborhood. 

The confused community is trying to piece together who is doing this and why.

 "I don’t know if anger is a good word to use. I just don't understand it," one of the victims, Tony Padilla said.

Neighbors came together to clean each other's cars, using Goo Off to remove the slurs and swastikas. 

"When something like that happens, it's like an attack on my friends," Padilla said.

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Horak feels targeted and wants nothing to do with the hate displayed on his car.

"You've made your point," he said. "Whatever that is supposed to be. You know, I realize people don't all have to have the same opinions, but when they kind of drag you into it, it's very, it's disconcerting, to say the least."

Padilla says the whole thing is making him feel claustrophobic in his own space. 

Neighbors say they'll be adding cameras hoping to catch whoever is doing this. 

Phoenix Police are asking anyone with any information to come forward.