BRANDON, Fla. - Hillsborough County deputies are investigating after someone cut the head off one of two soldiers on a Confederate monument at the Brandon Family Cemetery.
Brandon cemetery statue decapitated
What we know:
Hillsborough County deputies are searching for answers after someone cut the head off a marble soldier at the Brandon Family Cemetery. The damaged statue stands roughly 10 to 15 feet off the ground on a multi-figure monument.
The person who reported the vandalism also told FOX 13 there had been graffiti on the monument. That graffiti appears to have since been removed.
According to a Crime Stoppers post, investigators believe the vandalism likely happened sometime between Sept. 5 and Sept. 15.
Vandalism details remain unconfirmed
What we don't know:
Deputies have not released many additional details because the investigation remains active.
Confederate statue moved from courthouse
The backstory:
The monument was created in 1911 and is the same Confederate memorial that once stood outside the Hillsborough County Courthouse in downtown Tampa.
In 2017, amid nationwide protests and debate over Confederate monuments, the statue was moved from the courthouse to the Brandon Family Cemetery, a small private cemetery. The monument is a cenotaph, or memorial, honoring people who are buried elsewhere.
The debate over Confederate memorials has continued for years. According to an Associated Press analysis, more than 400 Confederate statues, monuments and other symbols have been removed, renamed or relocated across the country since 2015, including dozens in Florida.
Leaders condemn cemetery damage
What they're saying:
Phil Walters, lieutenant commander of the Judah P. Benjamin Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, condemned the vandalism.
"It's an act of depraved people. I mean, we live in a sick society," said Walters, who questioned why someone would target a memorial. "These monuments were put up in mostly courthouse squares where people could see and appreciate the sacrifice. They were put by the widows, the daughters, the children, because the South was basically bankrupt for generations after this war."
HCSO searches for suspects
What's next:
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate who damaged the monument.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact Crime Stoppers or the sheriff’s office.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Crime Stoppers and previous reporting on confederate memorials.