Santa Rosa police announced juvenile arrests in connection with vandalism at the closed Brook Hill campus.
According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, suspects scattered in different directions as officers arrived, but several were pursued on foot and detained without further incident. The six who were arrested face charges including burglary, felony vandalism and conspiracy, while the seventh identified suspect was cited and released to his parents.
A Campus Closed in 2025
Brook Hill Elementary was among the schools Santa Rosa City Schools closed in 2025 as the district worked to close a budget gap amid declining enrollment, according to CBS News.
Brook Hill was among the school sites the district closed.
Investigators Say Not All Damage Is New
Police say a field and evidence technician had already responded to a separate vandalism incident at the same campus earlier on October 9. The Santa Rosa Police Department's property crimes investigations team is investigating both incidents and is still working to determine whether the juveniles arrested that night were involved in the earlier vandalism, and whether additional suspects took part in either crime.
Santa Rosa City Schools campuses, including closed sites, are equipped with operational security camera systems.
A District Already Stretched Thin
Santa Rosa City Schools trustees approved an additional $34 million budget reduction plan in February that eliminated more than 100 staff positions in an effort to stave off a state financial takeover, a vote local station KZST reported was a response to what state analysts called the worst cash crisis.
Under California Penal Code Section 594, malicious property damage totaling $400 or more is a wobbler offense that prosecutors can charge as a felony, carrying up to three years in custody and fines reaching $10,000 or higher, according to legal reference site FindLaw. Separately, California Civil Code Section 1714.1 allows property owners to pursue civil recovery against the parents or guardians of minors for willful property destruction, with liability reaching up to $25,000 per incident under statutory adjustments, per My Rights Law Group. That statute could give the school district an avenue to seek restitution from the arrested teens' families apart from any juvenile court proceedings.
Echoes of a Prior Sonoma County Case
The Brook Hill incident follows a similar pattern seen elsewhere in the county. In June 2025, eight teenagers were arrested in Forestville after Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies discovered widespread damage to walls, subfloors and fixtures at a vacant residence, according to CBS News coverage of that case. Despite such local incidents, federal data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows vandalism arrests among youth under 18 nationwide fell 43 percent between 2015 and 2024.
Santa Rosa police thanked the community members whose reports allowed officers to respond quickly, detain suspects and preserve evidence, and the department credited school district staff, maintenance personnel and information technology workers for helping document the damage and advance the investigation. Police also encouraged parents and guardians to talk with their children about respecting schools and community property, noting that vandalism places a financial burden on an already resource-constrained school district and affects the broader community.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Rosa Police Department's property crimes investigations team at 707-543-3575, or to submit an anonymous tip at www.srcity.org/crimetips. The department listed the cases under case numbers 26-11225 and 26-11248.
