SAN ANTONIO — UTSA officials say a student is facing charges after he was spotted painting what campus police called "anti-Israel graffiti" at the university's Sombrilla plaza.
Campus police responded to Sombrilla on Monday morning after someone reported seeing Luke Dolman, 21, painting near the McKinney Humanities Building, the UTSA Police Department said in a statement posted to social media.
"The individual fled when confronted by an officer but was pursued and arrested a few minutes later near the bus oval," the statement reads.
Dolman faces a state felony charge of graffiti at a church or school as well as a misdemeanor evading arrest charge, in addition to undisclosed discipline from the university. He remained jailed Tuesday evening on bonds totaling $7,000.
"There is no room for this behavior at UTSA, and we will not tolerate the disruption of campus activities or damage to university property," UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said.
UTSA police did not indicate the exact words that Dolman painted but did thank the university community for quickly reporting the incident.
"This quick response helped prevent additional damage to university property and to the members of our facilities team, who promptly removed the graffiti," said Stephanie Schoenborn, UTSA chief of police.
San Antonio groups have organized community events to raise awareness about the conditions faced by Palestinians embroiled in the ongoing war. And earlier this year, protesters interrupted a San Antonio City Council meeting to pressure leaders into proclaiming their support for a cease-fire.
The war was sparked by a surprise Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 1,200 people were killed in the attack, mostly civilians, and Palestinian militants took around 250 people hostage, the Associated Press reported.
Israel's six-month war against Hamas has devastated the Gaza Strip and pushed the tiny Palestinian territory into a humanitarian crisis, leaving more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation, the Associated Press reported.
>MORE LOCAL NEWS:
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE:
---
Learn more about KENS 5:
Since going on the air in 1950, KENS 5 has strived to be the best, most trusted news and entertainment source for generations of San Antonians.
KENS 5 has brought numerous firsts to South Texas television, including being the first local station with a helicopter, the first with its own Doppler radar and the first to air a local morning news program.
Over the years, KENS 5 has worked to transform local news. Our cameras have been the lens bringing history into local viewers' homes. We're proud of our legacy as we serve San Antonians today.
Today, KENS 5 continues to set the standard in local broadcasting and is recognized by its peers for excellence and innovation. The KENS 5 News team focuses on stories that really matter to our community.
You can find KENS 5 in more places than ever before, including KENS5.com, the KENS 5 app, the KENS 5 YouTube channel, KENS 5's Roku and Fire TV apps, and across social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more!
Want to get in touch with someone at KENS 5? You can send a message using our Contacts page or email one of our team members.