An investigation launched for two individuals vandalizing Native American gathering place

According to Newsweek, an investigation has been launched following the discovery of a photograph which appears to show two people vandalizing a sandstorm formation which is more than 400 million years old at a state park in Illinois.

Pictures posted on social media show a man and a woman stood in front of the Council Overhang cavern in Starved Rock Park over the Labor Day holiday. The pair are stood next to a black "B+K" in a love heart which has been scrawled onto the ancient rocks.

The image was posted on Facebook by Starved Rock and Mathiessen State Parks and on Twitter by GotYour6Comm, in a bid to help find the culprits.

"Art is beautiful, but it is not meant to be carved drawn, or painted on natural features at state and national parks," Starved Rock and Mathiessen State Parks wrote in a statement.

"Don't be like John and Jane Doe pictured here who decided to paint on Council Overhang which is a 425 million year old sandstone formation at the park used for 8,000 years as a Native American gathering place. One of our largest problems at the park are visitors who do not respect the parks trails, exhibits, buildings, interpretive panels on trails, and the natural sandstone features."

Speaking to Journal Star newspaper, Park Superintendent Kerry Novak said a witness came into Starve Rock administration office on September 2 to report seeing two people deface the wall at Council Overhang, as well as discussing taking a picture of the graffiti and putting it on Instagram.

Novak then searched the social media platform himself and found the incriminating photo.

"They seemed pretty proud of it," Novak said, adding he considers the vandalism as "disrespectful."

He said, "If you bring your family here, you want to see a beautiful natural area. You don't want to see this sort of thing."

The Illinois Conservation Police later launched an investigation into the photographs. Police have not yet been able to confirm if the photo is authentic, reports WQAD news.