Two Houston juveniles were arrested Wednesday morning after causing “very extensive” damage with baseball bats inside the Big Red Building on the Houston Schools campus.
Two boys, both 15 and freshmen at Houston High School, were arrested and turned over to juvenile authorities. The names have not been released because they are juveniles. Authorities say it’s possible the pair may be certified as adults.
Officer David Kidwell spotted a car parked at the building around 1 a.m. He saw a head pop out the door and could hear glass breaking inside. The pair fled the scene, but Kidwell had obtained information from the vehicle that led to one of suspects, who had taken it from his parents without permission. The two were later found and arrested with help from the Texas County Sheriff’s Department, Kidwell said.
The two face charges of property damage and burglary, felonies, and trespassing, misdemeanors, according to the Houston Police Department.
The boys used baseball bats to smash mirrors inside the weight room, a urinal and toilet, lockers, film and editing equipment, furniture and a large-screen television inside head coach Chris Edwards’ office. They also sprayed a fire extinguisher inside an equipment room that stored helmets, pads and jerseys.
Kidwell said the boys gained entry to the building by breaking a lock on the middle door.
Damage also was done at the baseball complex. The boys broke windows out of the new locker room and concession stand, busted a ceiling fan and turned over a refrigerator in the dugout and apparently beat it with baseball bats.
“They are going to pay for this for a long time,” said Houston Police Chief Joe Kirkman.
One boy was a member of the HHS football team this past season.