Iowa State Police have arrested an Iowa State student connected to the racist criminal activity on campus. 

The Iowa State Police Department arrested Nathan Page, a freshman in pre-business, who is “facing charges of criminal trespass with vandalism and 3rd and 4th degree criminal mischief,” according to a news release. 

Officers were called to the residence hall after a staff member discovered their residential storage room was burglarized and vandalized with a racist slur, historically targeted at the Black community, Iowa State Police Chief Michael Newton said in a news release Tuesday. 

Officers also discovered damage to furniture and property in other areas of Roberts Hall.

“Our crime scene investigators did a great job of collecting evidence, which helped identify a suspect,” Newton said in the news release. “This was a cowardly act and it was important that we could quickly make an arrest.”

This is not the first time there has been racially-charged hate crimes on Iowa State’s campus. During the fall semester of 2019, Geoffroy Hall’s Bean House had been changed to a racial slur against Mexican Americans.

Resources and support is provided by Iowa State’s Department of Residence and Division of Student Affairs for the staff members and other students in the building. 

Students also have the option to move to another residence hall.

“We will not tolerate this type of the behavior on our campus,” said Toyia Younger, senior vice president for Student Affairs in the news release. “The university is working hard to make sure we protect all students and provide a welcoming environment.”

Additionally, the Dean of Students Office will consider student code of conduct charges. 

“Due to federal privacy laws, the university will not discuss nor share information concerning a student’s conduct record,” according to the news release. 

Iowa State Police are working with the Story County attorney on the possibility of additional or enhanced charges.