MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Crime Stoppers of Rutherford County has offered a reward for information after a Confederate monument in Murfreesboro was vandalized.
The incident was reported Tuesday night at the “Johnny Rebel” statue located on the square, next to the old courthouse. The words "coward," "murderer," and "Fort Pillow" were spray painted on each side.
The last is a reference to the Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow massacre. It was fought in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War and ended with the massacre of African-American Union troops and their white officers attempting to surrender. The Confederate commander was Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
Clyde Adkison of Crime Stoppers said the group will offer up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case.
The sheriff’s office says surveillance video captured someone wearing a coat and scarf walking around the downtown square for about 10 minutes. The person approached the statue at 10:21 p.m. and walked away at 10:22 p.m.
Investigators said the person drove away in a dark-colored, compact to mid-sized car. Murfreesboro Police received the call about the vandalism within a minute.
Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Tony Grissom at 615-904-3055.
