School is out for summer at Spanish Fort's Rockwell Elementary. But last Friday night, someone was roaming the empty halls, breaking windows, destroying property and leaving his bloody finger prints all over the place.
And it was all caught on the school's security system.
"This video is of such high quality, great video that captured the suspect coming into the building, captured him going throughout the building, he's destroying windows, blood is everywhere so we have a lot of different things that are happening all at once."
That's Spanish Fort Police Chief John Barber, who says they were able to get a lead on this guy quickly, because Rockwell Elementary School is part of the city's "Fortify the Fort" video sharing program. And the quality was so good, there was a key clue that leapt out at them right away.
Do you see it?
"One of the most unique things you see on this video, is that at 10:30 on a Friday night, this guy raging through the hallways,” says the chief, “but he is wearing obvious rental bowling shoes... like rental bowling shoes."
That's right! Bowling shoes.
Like the kind bowlers rent here at the Easter Shore Lanes not far from the school.
Chief Barber fills in the gaps.
"Detective Wright goes to the bowling alley. We start working if from there and come to find out there was an office party there. We had very good video again, identifiable video. This morning we received information on a possible suspect. As soon as we pulled up the drivers license photograph we can immediately tell this is the right guy."
That guy?
He Is 33 year old Zachary Childs of Spanish Fort... and police think they know how he got there.
Police believe that Child's left the party, made his way out of the parking lot and then started walking down the street in front of the bowling alley, until he got to highway 31.
He made his way across that busy street, and then somehow stumbled onto the property of Rockwell Elementary. He then crossed the parking lot to this window, now broken and board up.
And the rest?
Well, it’s on video, says Barber.
"This one, yeah I can always attribute this case, the video solved it."
Zachary childs has been charged with 3rd degree burglary, and he's out of jail on bond. Chief barber says he's told them he doesn't remember any of it.
And the chief is praising the "Fortify the Fort" video sharing program, and he invites more residents and businesses to join, but he also encourages you to update your systems, because good quality video can be the key to making a solid case.