Chirco was identified as the suspect in multiple cases of damaging DECA Prep elementary school in Dayton. Investigators said Chirco damaged the rear door of the school at 2 a.m. June 16, according to an affidavit.
Just under a week later on June 23, a staff member found racist and threatening graffiti on the back door of the school. Surveillance video showed the same person who damaged the doors, even wearing the same clothing, approaching the door at 1:18 a.m. June 20, the affidavit stated.
Graffiti included a bomb threat with a racial slur, as well as the phrase “Decca Academy sucks get out or die!”
Meanwhile, an officer investigating bomb threats at the RTA bus hub reached out to the investigating detective about a person matching the description of the man in the video, court documents said. The officer told the detective that Chirco had been arrested previously for making threats.
Detectives then went to Chirco’s house, where they met his brother, who identified Chirco in still images of the school video, the affidavit stated.
Chirco was found at Kettering Health Dayton, where multiple bomb threats were called from in the past few days, according to detectives, who noted that he was wearing the same hat and shirt as when he reportedly made the graffiti.
In an interview, Chirco denied any wrongdoing.
DPD recently arrested Paul Chirco for numerous cases of criminal damaging and calling in false bomb threats. Detectives followed up and investigated the complaints. Their investigation led to identifying the suspect, gathering evidence, and arresting him. pic.twitter.com/sb2sAZFXU6
— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) July 4, 2024
He also is suspected in numerous criminal damaging complaints, several at the same location, police said.
Chirco was booked in the Montgomery County Jail on initial charges of swatting, inducing panic and making false alarms.
Swatting is the act of making a prank call to emergency services in order to bring a large police response to a particular address.
Chirco is held in the Montgomery County Jail.