Grant Senior Arrested Over Racial Threats

An 18-year-old Grant High School senior was arrested Friday on suspicion of sending racially derogatory letters that threatened two school administrators, a teacher and a student at Grant, police said.

Police arrested Robert Snyder after searching his Van Nuys residence and finding evidence allegedly related to letters mailed in the past week to Principal Robert J. Collins, Assistant Principal Joseph Walker, an unidentified black student and a black teacher, Los Angeles Police Lt. Warren Knowles said. Collins, who is white, is married to a black woman. Walker is black.

Grant faculty members directed police to Snyder, who Knowles said is also a suspect in the vandalism of the black teacher’s West Valley residence in June. Police would not say why Snyder was identified as a suspect by faculty members.

Although authorities would not divulge the contents of the letters, police have said they were threatening and contained references to white supremacy as well as swastikas. Knowles said the letters “clearly indicated a threat of death” to the unidentified student and Walker.

Police retrieved two typewriters from Snyder’s home, which he shares with his parents, to compare with typewritten portions of the letters. Police are also comparing his handwriting with handwritten portions of the letters, Knowles said.

Bail for Snyder was set at $10,000, police said.