Criminals Vandalize Local Wagner, South Dakota Church-Who Did It?

Local authorities in a small, rural South Dakota town are on a mission to find hateful criminals who damaged a sacred space for many.

Officers with the Wagner Police Department need the public's help searching for criminals who actively vandalized the local Episcopal church. Ugh this is so frustrating on so many levels.

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Wagner, SD Police Department (via Facebook)

What Church In Wagner, South Dakota Was Vandalized?

Holy Spirit Episcopal church at 613 South Main Avenue is the church that was vandalized earlier this month. Officials with the Wagner Police Department say the crime occurred sometime on Wednesday, July 8th.

The Wagner Police Department shared the scene of the crime in a series of photos in a Facebook post. Here's what we know:

On July 8th, 2026 the Episcopal church on S. Main Ave in Wagner was vandalized. If you have any information on who could have committed this crime we encourage you to reach out to the Wagner Police Department

Police are not sure if this was a selfish act from one individual or if multiple people are responsible for this damage.

What Charges Are These South Dakota Criminals Facing?

This really all depends on the intent, how much damage, and previous offences of the criminal (or criminals). This is all from the South Dakota Legislature:

In South Dakota, vandalism is treated as "intentional damage to property". Consequences depend heavily on the dollar value of the damage. Penalties range from Class 2 misdemeanors (up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine for $400 or less in damages) to severe Class 2 felonies

If you or anyone you know has any information on this recent vandalism crime in Wagner, please contact the Wagner Police Department at (605)-384-3222. If you have information and feel more comfortable leaving an anonymous tip, people are encouraged to submit a tip through the P-3 Tip line which is monitored by Crime Stoppers.