ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — A Black Lives Matter mural drawn in honor of a North Carolina man shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies was damaged one day after it was unveiled, and police are investigating the incident.
A video posted to Facebook on Sunday by Glenda Thomas showed that skid marks were left on the mural in Elizabeth City, news outlets reported Monday. Artist Michael Little painted the mural in honor of Andrew Brown Jr., who was shot and killed by a Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office deputy on April 21. It was unveiled on Saturday. Brown was Thomas’ nephew.
Elizabeth City police say they are investigating the damage to the mural and have reviewed surveillance video. Photos from police show a pickup truck driving back and forth over the mural.
Brown was fatally shot outside his house by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies as they were serving a drug-related search warrant at Brown’s home. Brown was shot five times, including in the back of the head, according to an independent autopsy commissioned by his family.
A large mural in downtown Charlotte was damaged by skid marks last June. Other vandalism of Black Lives Matter murals has occurred in Chicago, Orlando, Florida, and Cleveland.