BOCA RATON, Fla. — Palm Beach County Sheriff's detectives are investigating hateful graffiti discovered outside a Boca Raton office building, leaving employees feeling threatened and unsafe.
Krystal Washington, who works at DermPartners in West Boca, arrived at work Monday morning to find a swastika symbol and racial slurs painted on the pavement outside her workplace.
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"At first, I just saw the symbol and then as I looked closer, I just saw the word. I was like 'Oh!'" Washington said.
The hateful messages have left Washington and her coworkers feeling targeted, and they’re seeking answers.
"Literally two-thirds of the office is either Jewish, Black, or Hispanic. That's literally the demographic, so we felt very threatened by it all together," Washington said.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detectives found a can of paint and a paintbrush at the scene. They attempted to run fingerprints through both items, but the results were negative. According to information provided by the sheriff's office, the damage repair cost could be approximately $500.
"For someone to see, do those two things, either they were like watching us or maybe they come to the office before or, I don't know," said Washington.
Following recent attacks on the Jewish community, Washington says she's being extra vigilant about her safety.
"You're like always looking over your shoulder. You don't know what's gonna happen next. Or is this gonna happen? Is it gonna get as bad as that? You really just don't know and now we're just in a state of fear," said Washington.
According to a statement on the report, there have been ongoing issues in the plaza involving minors riding e-bikes. PBSO is reviewing surveillance video as part of their investigation.
Washington hopes her decision to report the incident will raise community awareness about such acts of hate.
"I feel like the community should know that stuff like this is going on so that they're aware and that they can be vigilant about it," Washington said.
"And in 2026, I can't believe stuff like this is still going on and I hope that it stops pretty soon," said Washington.
WPTV reached out to the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and received this response:
While the Jewish community is still mourning the arson attack on a synagogue in Mississippi, seeing a swastika and racist graffiti in our community is a painful reminder that antisemitism and hate is on the rise. These are not just acts of silly vandalism but rather acts of intimidation and hate intended to foment fear. We cannot allow hate to be normalized in any form, and we must stand together in denouncing these heinous acts. The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County has seen a steady increase over the last decade and, in particular, since October 7, 2024. Vigilance remains critical and the Federation is continuously working with the community to strengthen our vigilance alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners. We cannot be complacent. We cannot look the other way. We must take action. If you see symbols of hatred, please notify law enforcement and contact Federation security.
