Toledo Mayor Vows to Replace George Floyd Mural That Was Destroyed, Possibly by Lightning Strike

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A mural honoring George Floyd was recently destroyed in Toledo, Ohio, and authorities suspect it may have been reduced to rubble by lightning, according to local reports.

On Tuesday, a large mural dedicated to Floyd collapsed and the cause is still in question. Witnesses told Toledo police that they saw lightning strike the building where the mural was created, KTRK reported.

The station's doppler radar reportedly showed a lightning strike on the block around 4:30 p.m.

However, city building inspector Hugh Koogan told The Blade that the wall destruction appeared to be from natural causes.

"It was just age. It just came away," Koogan told the outlet, adding that the city previously noted some bowing in the middle of the wall. "It happens to the older buildings."

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The mural, titled "Take a Breath," was reportedly painted last year by artist David Ross in honor of Floyd, who was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, sparking worldwide protests.

Although there are different possibilities for the mural's collapse, the City of Toledo released a statement to the Cincinnati Enquirer sharing that it will be replaced, adding that officials were heartbroken to see the work ruined.

george floyd
george floyd

George Floyd

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"We may never know for certain why the George Floyd mural came down. It could have been an act of nature, or it could have been an act of vandalism," Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said in the statement. "We will work with the Arts Commission and the artist to make sure that a new mural can replace the old, so that the message at the core of this artwork can be heard."

Ross, however, was not too upset over the incident, telling the Blade that he'll recreate the mural no matter what the cause turns out to be.

"I'm not upset because I know I'm going to do it again, whether it was natural or vandalism," he said.