By Will Vandervort.

Though the security system that what was put in place to protect Howard’s Rock after the attack on it in June of 2013 did identify the suspect, it did not allow the suspect to be caught at the time of the incident.

The Clemson Insider has learned through multiple sources the alarm that was supposed to be triggered when the suspect came within so many feet of Howard’s Rock was not activated or did not work correctly at the time of the incident.

Regardless, sources say the Clemson Police Department never received an alert that Howard’s Rock was imminent danger.

The Clemson Insider did contact the Clemson University Police Department as well as the Athletic Department and both would not comment on the situation because of the ongoing investigation.

What was relayed from both Clemson University Departments is that ultimately the other security precautions put in place did work because Howard’s Rock was not harmed. Only the case that protects the iconic rock was damaged.

On Thursday the Clemson University police department released images showing a man trying to break the protective casing. The attack occurred around 6 a.m. Wednesday by an unknown person.

Black-and-white surveillance images show what is to believe to be a silver truck around Memorial Stadium at the time of the incident.

The Clemson Insider has also learned the suspect entered Memorial Stadium through a gate near the West End Zone area where construction work is taking place.

A man then used a rod to hit the sides of the case once he got up to the top of the Hill. The person then left the scene.

Construction crews who were doing renovations to Memorial Stadium noticed the damage when they came to work on Wednesday.

Clemson has since removed Howard’s Rock and its pedestal from the top of the east end zone in Memorial Stadium to assure its protection.

The suspect, according to Clemson University Police, is a black man, light in complexion and is about 6-foot-2 and weighs somewhere between 230 and 250 pounds. He was wearing a navy blue jacket, blue jeans, work boots, and gloves with reflective material on the knuckles and back of the hand.

The truck he was in appears to be similar to a Ford Ranger.

Anyone with information should call Clemson police at 864-656-2222 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.