EVANSTON — Vandals struck Evanston’s Roundhouse this week, causing extensive damage to the historic and partially restored building. The damage was discovered early on Wednesday morning when facilities personnel arrived at work.

Someone threw numerous large rocks from a nearby excavation pile through windows near the main entrance, which faces the railroad tracks, destroying 10 large windows and three smaller ones up higher on that side. Those responsible also caused structural damage to the frames surrounding the windows and damage inside the building when rocks flung from outside crossed the entire room and hit the walls on the opposite side. 

Evanston Police Department investigators noted that there was considerable evidence left at the scene, including blood from someone who apparently cut himself or herself while committing the crime. There is a bloody handprint on one of the broken windowpanes, and blood spatter in places. There’s also a trail of blood droplets from the Roundhouse all the way down to Evanston City Hall and the post office building.

Evanston Police Chief Jon Kirby said there is security camera footage from the nearby Machine Shop that shows some individuals in the area at about 4:30 a.m. He indicated that the individuals looked like they could have been minors.

Since investigators found quite a bit of blood, Kirby said he visited Evanston Regional Hospital to see if anyone went to the emergency room Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. He said hospital staff will follow up with the doctors at ERH to see if any patients might have cut hands or arms. 

Kirby said his department is working with the local schools and asked teachers to keep an eye out for someone with an injury that might have occurred during the incident at the Roundhouse.

He said if the community knows what to look for in a suspect, such as a fresh cut on someone’s hand, perhaps residents can help provide leads for investigators.

Crews already on site working on the restoration of the other sections of the building were surveying the damage to make a determination about costs and a time frame for replacement.

Facilities supervisor Russ Heward said the damage could exceed $50,000. Officials are hopeful that some of the windows already on site for placement in the new sections will fit the destroyed windows. If that is not an option, the replacements will need to be special ordered and could take months to arrive.

Fortunately, the Roundhouse is seeing its lowest demand of the summer. Nothing is scheduled at the historic building until Sept. 12-13, when the Wyoming Department of Education will meet there.

“We got really, really lucky,” Evanston City Clerk Amy Grenfell told the Herald Wednesday. “For whatever reason, this is the biggest break we’ve had all summer long. … We’ve had weddings in there every weekend all through August plus the Roundhouse Festival.”

She said either boards or plastic will cover the windows until they can be repaired, and future events will go on as planned.

“We’ll secure the building somehow,” Grenfell said. “… We’ve been talking to contractors this morning about the best way to do it without doing further damage… but the building will be useable.”

Evanston Mayor Kent Williams said there is no excuse for the senseless destruction.

“I hope whomever did this is found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Williams said. “This is an incredible investment in our community and there is simply no excuse. I would suggest that whomever is responsible turn themselves in because they will be found.”

Uinta County Attorney Loretta Howieson said that while it’s too early to speculate what charges would be appropriate for such a crime, she did say that property destruction would likely apply, as well as possible other charges.

Property destruction resulting in more than $1,000 in damages is a felony in Wyoming, and punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years, a fine of $10,000, or both.

“I can assure you that my office will prosecute the offender(s) to the fullest extent of the law in the confines of my ethical duties as a prosecutor,” Howieson wrote in an email to the Herald.

City officials at the scene were quite emotional about the extent of the damage.

“Our community can’t tolerate this stuff,” Grenfell said. “This is really emotional because this is a building that people know and love.”

Urban Renewal Coordinator Jane Law was visibly upset as she looked at the damage.

“This is just heartbreaking,” she said. “Everything that has been done here has been done for this community, so for people to do something like this hurts everyone.”

Evanston Treasurer Trudy Lym said the damage should be covered by property insurance, though the city would have to pay a $5,000 deductible.

“… It will still cost us money to meet the deductible, which in lean times can be difficult,” Lym said. “It is disheartening to think that someone would have such little respect for property to do something like this, especially with this beautiful building that is such an asset to our community.”

Kirby encourages anyone with knowledge about the perpetrators of this crime to contact Crime Stoppers by phone at (307) 789-CASH or by text at (307) 708-CASH.  Crime Stoppers facilitates anonymous tips, and can issue awards of up to $1,000. Those with information about the incident can also call the Evanston Police Department at (307) 783-6400, or dispatch after business hours at (307) 783-1000.