Charred remnants of a stolen Jackie Robinson bronze statue were found Tuesday inside a trash can at a Kansas park, authorities said.
Pieces of the statue were dumped in the garbage and lit on fire at Garvey Park in Wichita, a police spokesperson said during a press conference streamed by KWCH.
Fire crews were called to the scene around 8:40 a.m. Tuesday and made the discovery after putting out the trash can flames.
“This was a heartbreaking discovery this morning,” Wichita Councilman Brandon Johnson said during the press conference. “I hate to see that the statue was not in one piece, but I do want everyone to know that we are undeterred in making sure that that statue gets rebuilt and put back there.”
Vandals saw off Jackie Robinson statue, steal it from Kansas park days before Black History Month
Most of the statue vanished last Thursday night after it was cut by the ankles at the League 42 baseball fields in McAdams Park, which is also home to the Jackie Robinson Pavilion.
