Clemson University Police discuss the vandalism of Howard's Rock

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Jun 13 12:15:04 GMT-04:00 2013

CLEMSON – The investigation into the vandalism of Howards’ Rock is ongoing, and Clemson University Police Chief Johnson W. Link told TigerNet early Thursday that investigators are following up on key leads that he hopes will lead to an arrest.

Howard’s Rock, the iconic piece of stone that sits atop the hill, had a chunk taken off the front of the rock about ten days ago, defacing the rock. TigerNet has learned that the case protecting the rock was not shattered, but the vandal worked around the lock, stealing a fist-size piece of the rock.

Link said the police are following up on several leads, but welcome the help of anyone who may have a tip.

“We are following up on some leads, we have some that we are working on and we have some more we have to follow up on,” Link told TigerNet. “We are hoping that we are going to find this person, and I think we will get him. But we are going to need help with this, and we hope if folks hear something or run across something, they will notify us and let us follow up on that information.”

The video cameras that surround Clemson Memorial Stadium have turned up no clues.

“Forensically, we have something that may pan out,” Link said. “We don’t have video. If we did, that would obviously help out, but it just isn’t there. The review of our cameras didn’t give us any evidence or didn’t do anything to help us with the investigation. We know folks are concerned, and we hope that they help us.”

A source within the athletic department told me this morning that there was a reason behind the delay in announcing the vandalism – it was hoping that the perpetrator would not see any announcements and would begin to brag. However, that hasn’t’ happened, and now police are working through the leads that have come in.

“We have developed some information, and now we have to sort through a bunch of this stuff, and hopefully it will lead us to something.”

If you have any information, please call the Clemson University Police at 864-656-2222.