Toledo Mayor Vows to Replace Crumbled George Floyd Mural That Was Possibly Destroyed By Lightning Strike

We reported on Tuesday that a George Floyd mural in Toledo, Ohio was reduced to rubble following a lightning strike, which was initially believed to be the cause, although there are now other theories being floated.

In a recent statement, the city’s Democratic Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz has vowed, however it came down, that the mural will be replaced.

“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,” Kapszukiewicz insisted.

Kapszukiewicz explained, “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.”

Since the initial reports, WTOL 11 First Alert Doppler radar has also reported that they recorded a lighting strike on the same block as the mural and at the same time of the collapse.

Reporter Kaitlin Durbin shared a video in a tweet from the scene yesterday morning which showed the rubble had yet to be fully cleaned up.

Durbin noted, “Some cleanup has occurred at the George Floyd mural but much of the debris remains. Lots of folks driving by to look at the damage this morning.”

Some cleanup has occurred at the George Floyd mural but much of the debris remains. Lots of folks driving by to look at the damage this morning. ⁦@toledonews⁩ pic.twitter.com/qB9fFNnmQh

— Kaitlin Durbin (@njKaitlinDurbin) July 14, 2021

In a follow up tweeted video, Durbin showed a man stopping to collect some of the bricks that were lying on the ground to keep as mementos.

“Larry Johnson, 71, stopped to grab a couple bricks from the fallen George Floyd mural to continue to honor the work and what it stood for,” Durbin stated.

Durbin added that Johnson told her, “This means something to me. I came through the civil rights thing.”

Larry Johnson, 71, stopped to grab a couple bricks from the fallen George Floyd mural to continue to honor the work and what it stood for. “This means something to me,” he told me. “I came through the civil rights thing.” pic.twitter.com/aHF4NNTPZc

— Kaitlin Durbin (@njKaitlinDurbin) July 14, 2021