Sandy Hook School Shooting Victim's Statue Vandalized

SANDY HOOK, CT-- A Connecticut resident visiting West Beach in Stamford recently noticed that a statue dedicated to Sandy Hook School shooting victim Jesse Lewis was vandalized.

Jesse Lewis was one of 20 students killed in the Sandy Hook School massacre on Dec. 14, 2012 which also claimed the life of six educators. Jesse was noted for his remarkable bravery for helping some of his classmates escape while the shooter reloaded his gun.

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Kellie Cooke wrote on the fundraising page she set up:

"This past Thursday, my mother and I were going to decorate my Grandma's memorial bench and Jesse Lewis' toy soldier as we do every holiday, located at West Beach in Stamford, Connecticut. When we arrived to West Beach, we could not believe what someone had done to Jesse's toy soldier statue. Someone had vandalized it by smashing its legs off and breaking part of its head. My heart sank. I wanted to do something to help."

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Cooke who wants to raise money to make the toy soldier statue cast in bronze so it can not be vandalized again.

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Jesse's mother Scarlett Lewis started a nonprofit in her son's honor that teaches children about three words Jesse wrote on a chalkboard in his family's kitchen: "Nurturing, healing and love.:

In a statement to Eyewitness News, Scarlett Lewis released a statement on the incident.

"This malicious act was done in anger. Until we give our children the tools they need to manage stress and their emotions we will continue to see anger and violence in our society. When we respond in anger that only matches the energy and does not provide a solution.”

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