TOMPKINSVILLE — The Bay Street memorial that marked the spot of Eric Garner's fatal encounter with police caught on fire Monday night and was destroyed, officials said.
The memorial at 204 Bay St. — started by friends and family in July after Garner died while being arrested for selling untaxed cigarettes — caught on fire at 10:24 p.m., the FDNY said. Fire officials said the flames were extinguished at 10:43 p.m.
The FDNY said the fire was an accident caused by one of the memorial's candles.
But Garner's daughter, Erica Garner, called it vandalism.
"Lord forgive these evil ppl who burned down POPS memorial," Erica Garner tweeted Monday night. "This is really sick my struggle still cont."
On Tuesday, Eric Garner's stepfather, Ben Carr, worked to start rebuilding the memorial, but still said it was vandalism because the Plexiglas around it burned so much.
"It was deliberate, it wasn't no accident," Carr said. "I know somebody did it. Plexiglas like that doesn't burn that easy."
Carr said they hope the fire was caught on security camera and Erica Garner called for an investigation into the fire over social media, and vowed to rebuild the memorial.
"Evil set my dads memoral on fire tonight but cant erase his legacy," she tweeted. "Rebuild 2morrow."
Garner, 43, died July 17 after cops used an apparent chokehold as they tried to arrest him for selling untaxed cigarettes. Last month, a grand jury declined to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo for Garner's death, sparking widespread protests throughout New York City.