A memorial at the spot where Eric Garner was fatally choked by a NYPD officer in Staten Island, New York, burned to the ground on Monday night.
Police suspect that a candle fell and set the memorial ablaze; lit candles surrounded the memorial. The FDNY received a call at 10:24 p.m. ET about a fire outside of 204 Bay Street on Staten Island, according to Gothamist.
Garner, a 43-year-old black man, died after Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed him in a chokehold and other officers pinned him to the ground in Staten Island in July; Garner lost consciousness and later died. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. The high-profile police brutality case in New York ignited protests across the U.S. in December after a grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo in Garner's death.
The Garner family held a vigil with Reverend Al Sharpton at that very memorial spot earlier in the day, which was Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Eric Garner Memorial damaged by fire? Was it arson? Family says yes. NYPD says candle may have fell over. #1010WINS pic.twitter.com/LKT1ao9oO4— Derricke Dennis (@DDerrickeWINS) January 20, 2015
Erica Garner, his daughter, suspected the fire was something more than a mere accident.
lord forgive these evil ppl who burned down POPS memorial this is really sick my struggle still cont.#anonymouopfurguson #OpICantBreathe— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) January 20, 2015
Just was therea couple of hours ago.cops drove pass my grandpa when he arrived to see the damege #anonymousopferguson pic.twitter.com/5ycP96t9QW— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) January 20, 2015
evil set my dads memoral on fire tonight .but cant erase his legacy. rebuild 2morrow #anonymousopfurguson #OpICantBreathe— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) January 20, 2015
A memorial to Michael Brown, a black teenager who was shot and killed in August by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, also burned to the ground in September. At the time, police believed that candles were to blame, but residents suspected foul play.