Jackie Robinson Statue Burned and Destroyed in Wichita

• A beloved statue of Jackie Robinson, erected by the nonprofit youth baseball organization League 42, was stolen from its base in Wichita.
• On Tuesday, the Wichita Fire Department discovered pieces of the statue burned and destroyed.
• No arrests have been made in this case.
• League 42 asks for donations to replace beloved statue

The statue of Jackie Robinson that previously stood at a youth baseball field in Wichita, Kansas, was found burned and destroyed in a park miles away, according to police. confirmed on Tuesday. “Our community is devastated,” the Wichita Police Department said. saying.

The beloved statue was owned and erected by the League 42 Foundationa nonprofit youth baseball league founded in Robinson’s honor.

According to the local media KAKE, the statue was stolen from its stand shortly after midnight local time on Thursday. Police shared footage with the outlet shortly after, showing that the thieves cut the body of the life-size statue down to the ankles.

On Tuesday, the Wichita Fire Department discovered pieces of the statue burned beyond repair when they responded to a trash can fire in a park.

Wichita City Councilman Brandon Johnson told reporters that his team initially hoped to find a “complete and intact statue” before the discovery. “Now we know we need to raise money to replace it and we will,” he said Tuesday morning, according to KAKE.

Johnson added: “We will make sure we find a way to get that statue back. We will continue to invest in this community, and this tragic incident will not take away the hope we all have for the area.”

Police have spoken to more than 100 people as they search for the thieves, KAKE reported, but no arrests have yet been made.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan urged the thieves and anyone involved in the destruction of the statue to come forward.

“For those of you who are involved in this in any way… this means that if you were involved in the theft of the statue, whether or not you accepted the statue, you were part of the destruction of the statue… it’s just matter of time, and in his best interest, to turn himself in, come forward and admit his involvement in this,” Chief Sullivan said, according to the outlet.

The original statue was built by artist John Parsons, who has since passed away. “Fortunately, the cast of his work is still viable, and the statue that reappears in McAdams Park will be the work of John Parsons,” said League 42 director Bob Lutz.

While the foundation works on producing a new statue, League 42 has created a GoFundMe account for the benefit of the substitute. Any excess donations will go toward operational needs, including educational programs. As of Wednesday morning, the fundraiser has more than 2,500 donations totaling more than $122,000 of its $150,000 goal.

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On Wednesday, the foundation celebrated Robinson’s birthday. The iconic athlete died in 1972 at the age of 53.

“League 42 attempts to embody the spirit of Jackie Robinson, our namesake, who was born 105 years ago today, January 31,” Lutz wrote in a message shared on GoFundMe. “While law enforcement searches for those responsible for this crime, we remain dedicated to our mission of providing low-cost baseball and educational opportunities for our 600 children, ages 5 to 14.”

“They are as heartbroken by this theft as any of us and we are determined to replace the statue,” Lutz added.