The graffiti, discovered the morning of Jan. 5, according to the church, features the phrase “kitty porn,” and mentions a “Chivy Suburbin,” possibly from Louisiana. Police describe the suspect as a 40-year-old black man with a goatee and “an unusual walk.” He’s driving a gold- or tan-colored small SUV, according to DPD, likely a Chevy Blazer or GMC Jimmy.
Cathedral of Hope’s senior pastor, Neil G. Cazares-Thomas, said in a statement that he initially believed the graffiti was just mindless vandalism, but now thinks it might have had something to do with an appearance he made on KHVN, a local gospel radio station.
“The radio interviewer kept pushing the notion that LGBT people are linked somehow to pedophilia,” Cazares-Thomas said. “There is a big difference between sexual orientation and pedophilia. The church does not support sexual exploitation of any kind, including child exploitation.”
Cathedral of Hope is the United States’ largest LGBTQ-friendly church.
While the video shard by Dallas police does not show the spray painting of the chapel, DPD said it shows the man they believe hit the Cathedral of Hope building writing graffiti in another part of the city.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call DPD’s Northwest Investigative Unit at 214-670-6233.
