‘Olympic City USA’ sign vandalized in protest over police shooting
The “Olympic City USA” sign that greets people entering the Colorado Springs from the north was defaced Tuesday morning with a message related to the death of De’Von Bailey, who was shot and killed by police last summer.
Red paint was splashed across the aluminum sign that was installed in September, south of the north gate to the Air Force Academy. Below the sign’s gold metallic flame, vandals tagged the words “De’Von will not RIP.”
Colorado Springs police were notified about the graffiti about 7 a.m. and the department’s graffiti team was sent to remove it, said spokesman Lt. Jim Sokolik. It is unclear who defaced the sign, though police are investigating, Sokolik said.
Police also cleaned up red paint splattered across the entrance to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Nov. 15, he said. Red hand prints were pressed into the glass windows of the building, at 105 E. Vermijo Ave., captured in a tweet by Westword.
The DA’s office doesn’t seem interested in talking about the messy protest. https://t.co/6JnVG0Rlfk — Westword (@DenverWestword) November 21, 2019
Police have not confirmed if that vandalism was directly related to Bailey’s case, though, it came two days after a grand jury found the fatal shooting justified and declined to bring charges against the two officers, who were reportedly fearful Bailey had a gun.
Tuesday’s vandalism comes days after two women were arrested after they brought the Festival of Lights Parade to a halt during a protest for the controversial killing of 19-year-old Bailey, who was shot while fleeing police Aug. 3.
The women, who laid in the middle of Tejon Street south of Colorado Avenue, refused police’s orders to move and had to be physically removed from the road. They were released after being cited for obstructing passage and resistance/interference with a public official.
Protesters met in Acacia Park to memorialize Bailey at the same time as the parade. Groups held signs and chanted as they marched down the sidewalk alongside thousands of spectators that lined Tejon Street for the parade.
The day before, police and city workers removed a memorial for Bailey on the spot where he was killed, along Preuss Road at the edge of Adams Park.
Sokolik said Friday that the memorial was removed because of complaints about alcohol and drugs being left there.
Bailey’s friends and family, angered by the city’s removal, quickly re-spray-painted messages on the sidewalk and replaced the candles and crosses.
Bailey was shot four times in the back and arm after police stopped to question him and his cousin about a reported armed robbery in the area.
Police body camera footage showed officers approach the two and when one of the officers goes to search Bailey, he drops his arms, turns and runs away, the video shows.
Body camera footage confirmed that Bailey was armed, showing officers removing a pistol from his pocket after he was on the ground in handcuffs.
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