COLUMBIA -- The Columbia Police Department is investigating vandalism at City Hall after vandals spray painted a racial slur on the side of the building overnight.
The graffiti used an offensive term for African-Americans and opposed the city having a black mayor. It was sprayed on the Laurel Street side of the building.
Attorney Steve Benjamin is one of three leading candidates running to be the city's next mayor. He would be Columbia's first African-American mayor.
The Benjamin campaign declined to discuss whether the graffiti was targeted toward him. Spokesman Michael Wukela said the campaign would issue a statement later in the day.
City officials, including Mayor Bob Coble, held a 9 a.m. press conference to address the situation and said the city does have surveillance video of the incident that it is reviewing.
So far, police haven't made any arrests.
City Manager Steve Gantt said city officials are planning to meet next week to review security measures at City Hall. Gantt declined to comment on whether he thought the vandalism incident exposed a security lapse.
"I have been here 9 years and this is the first incident so let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Gantt.
WACH FOX News has a reporter on scene and will post more information as it becomes available.
If you have pictures of the graffiti prior to it being painted over, please send them to news@wach.com.
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