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Reported by: Lance Barry
Photographed by: Tyson Thorp, Philip Lee

An upscale Boone County neighborhood woke up Saturday morning to a most unwanted surprise: racist and anti-semitic graffiti sprayed on several homes there. It's a story 9News broke.

The suspects hit several properties in the Pebble Creek subdivision, off Camp Ernst Road.

9News spoke to a representative of the Boone County Sheriff's Office, who say that since starting their investigation Saturday morning, they have upgraded the seriousness of the charges that are involved; no longer is this being viewed as an act of vandalism, it's now being considered a hate crime.

"It doesn't make me afraid," said homeowner Sharron Leonard. "I think the people who did it was afraid to show their identity, which is why they did it in the fashion they did."

Many of the hateful words that were spray painted on Sharron Leonard's garage doors we wouldn't show you even if we could.

Her home was one of several hit by vandals, with words and symbols that are derogatory specifically to African Americans and Jews, two cultures that comprise this diverse neighborhood.

"This is a wonderful neighborhood," Leonard reassured. "We are happy."

Fellow homeowner Linda Knasel agrees. "It's a nice place to be, nothing like this happened before."

Knasel has called this area home for five years. Her home was also hit overnight. Now, she's concerned about what could be next. "It's scary," she said. "You don't know what else they are going to do."

Throughout the day, many residents banded to together to wash away the crimes, or simply paint over it.

As to who may be responsible, there are theories, but as of yet no arrests.

"I'm thinking it's kids having a good time at night, with nothing else to do," said another Pebble Creek homeowner. "They are out having fun, and what they think is fun I find to be totally disgusting. It's property damage, and there is nothing funny about it. It's really horrible."

Residents also say they have formed an impromptu neighborhood watch as a result of Friday night's crimes.

It is not uncommon for federal investigators to work on hate crime cases, and as a result have those responsible prosecuted on a federal level.