Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural in downtown LA vandalized for 2nd time in a month
Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural vandalized again
The Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural in downtown Los Angeles was once again targeted by vandals.
LOS ANGELES - A mural honoring the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in downtown Los Angeles has been vandalized again.
What we know:
The artwork, located on Main and 14th Street, was tagged with white spray paint just days after being restored to its original state on Friday, May 30.
Los Angeles-based artist Louie Palsino created the "Mambas Forever" piece, which had just been restored days ago. It took him weeks to repair the mural, for which he created a GoFundMe page to cover the costs.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural in downtown LA restored
The backstory:
The mural was first defaced on April 29.
The mural features Kobe and Gigi Bryant holding a basketball, with the LA skyline behind them.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural vandalized in downtown LA
Less than a day after the news broke, Lakers star Luka Doncic's foundation donated $5,000 to fix it. Doncic said he's honored to support efforts to preserve Kobe and Gigi's legacy.
What we don't know:
It's unclear if any suspects have been arrested in connection with either incident.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Luka Doncic talks Kobe Bryant's legacy
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Luka Doncic covers cost to restore vandalized Kobe mural
Luka Doncic has stepped up to pay the entire expected cost of restoring a vandalized mural depicting Kobe and Gigi Bryant in downtown Los Angeles.
What's next:
The artist now plans to move the mural to a new location.
Dig deeper:
Kobe and Gianna "Gigi" Bryant shared a passion for basketball and were on their way to a basketball tournament when their helicopter crashed in the Santa Monica Mountains in Calabasas on Jan. 26, 2020.
Also in the helicopter were Gigi’s teammates, Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, along with their parents. There were no survivors.
RELATED COVERAGE: Kobe Bryant helicopter tragedy: Honoring the 9 victims 5 years later
Following the tragedy, several artists across the globe turned to art to honor the legendary Laker and his daughter.
The Source: Information for this story is from the Kobe Mural Instagram page and previous FOX 11 reports.