Richmond Police Memorial statue vandalized with red "X"

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A memorial to police in Richmond, Virginia has been vandalized with a message referring to the police killing of a black man in Louisiana.

A large red "X'' was spray-painted on the torso of the statue of an officer carrying a child, and "Justice for Alton" is written on the stones below, an apparent reference to 37-year-old Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge.

Richmond Police Deputy Chief Steve Drew says people have left bouquets of flowers at the statue in Byrd Park in the memory of the five police officers killed by a black sniper in Dallas.

The chief says the statue is expected to be restored within 24 hours.