Crime & Safety
'#MeToo' Spray-Painted Onto Kissing Sailor Statue In Florida
The vandalism is believed to have been committed the same day that the sailor, a Middletown, Rhode Island resident, passed away at age 95.
SARASOTA, Fla. -- The statue of the iconic "unconditional surrender" statue in Sarasota, Florida was vandalized Monday, the same day that the soldier featured in the photo passed away at the age of 95.
George Mendonsa was a Middletown resident. His daughter, Sharon Molleur, told The Providence Journal that he fell and had a seizure at the assisted living facility where he lived with his wife of 70 years.
According to Sarasota Police, "#METOO" was spray-painted onto the nurse's left leg on the statute. Officers are searching for suspects, but there were no surveillance cameras nearby and no spray-paint cans were recovered in the area.
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Officers believe the vandalism occurred during the day on Monday, in the mid-afternoon or evening hours.
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The graffiti was removed as of Tuesday morning.
Photo Credit: Rachel Nunes, Patch
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