Former Olympian indicted for allegedly vandalising Washington Reflecting Pool
✓"The indictment is in response to an incident that occurred on June 19th of 2026, in which the defendant, Hearn, ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial," Pirro said.
"This was a deliberate act to damage the reflecting pool at the National Mall that members of the National Park Service actually have worked hard to restore."
Hearn previously told the BBC he did not do anything wrong, but was detained by the pool's edge as he was finishing a long bike ride.
He said he had been curious about the state of the pool and touched material that had already been damaged, adding that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint.
Hearn described his arrest as "arbitrary, capricious prosecution".
"Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American," his attorneys said on Thursday in response to the indictment.
Despite undergoing a recent $14 million renovation project, the Reflecting Pool has encountered problems with algae and large pieces of the new sealant have been seen peeling from the bottom.
Five people have been arrested for vandalism in connection with the Reflecting Pool, according to US Park Police, and five others have been issued federal citations. An official at the National Park Service had previously said the pool's lining had been cut with a sharp object.
Trump said on social media on 20 June that "work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool".
"I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!"
The Reflecting Pool, built in the 1920s and stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.
Davey Hearn, a former Olympian, has been indicted in connection with damage to the Washington Reflecting Pool's sealant on June 19, 2026. Prosecutors allege he deliberately ripped recently installed material at the pool's bottom. Hearn contests the charges, saying he was detained while finishing a bike ride and had merely touched already-damaged material out of curiosity, without removing anything. His legal team characterizes the prosecution as arbitrary. The Reflecting Pool, which cost $14 million to renovate, has faced ongoing issues including algae growth and sealant deterioration. Five other individuals have been arrested for vandalism at the site, and an NPS official previously indicated the pool's lining had been cut with a sharp object.
"The indictment is in response to an incident that occurred on June 19th of 2026, in which the defendant, Hearn, ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial," Pirro said.
"This was a deliberate act to damage the reflecting pool at the National Mall that members of the National Park Service actually have worked hard to restore."
Hearn previously told the BBC he did not do anything wrong, but was detained by the pool's edge as he was finishing a long bike ride.
He said he had been curious about the state of the pool and touched material that had already been damaged, adding that he "didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part" of the paint.
Hearn described his arrest as "arbitrary, capricious prosecution".
"Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American," his attorneys said on Thursday in response to the indictment.
Despite undergoing a recent $14 million renovation project, the Reflecting Pool has encountered problems with algae and large pieces of the new sealant have been seen peeling from the bottom.
Five people have been arrested for vandalism in connection with the Reflecting Pool, according to US Park Police, and five others have been issued federal citations. An official at the National Park Service had previously said the pool's lining had been cut with a sharp object.
Trump said on social media on 20 June that "work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool".
"I just inspected it, and could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!"
The Reflecting Pool, built in the 1920s and stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long been beset by leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.
Davey Hearn was indicted in connection with damage to the Washington Reflecting Pool's sealant on June 19, 2026 Hearn was detained at the pool's edge as he was finishing a long bike ride Hearn stated he touched material that had already been damaged and did not destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part of the sealant Prosecutors characterize his actions as deliberate damage to the pool by a person indifferent to restoration work Hearn's attorneys describe the charges as outrageous and call the prosecution arbitrary and capricious The Reflecting Pool underwent a $14 million renovation project Large pieces of the pool's new sealant have been observed peeling from the bottom Five people have been arrested for vandalism at the Reflecting Pool and five others issued federal citations The Reflecting Pool has experienced long-standing problems including leaks, structural deterioration, algae growth, and faulty pipes
- Former Olympian Davey Hearn has been indicted for allegedly damaging the Washington Reflecting Pool's recently installed sealant on June 19, 2026
- Hearn denies the charges, stating he touched already-damaged material while curious about the pool's condition and did not remove any part of it
- The Reflecting Pool, which underwent a $14 million renovation, has experienced widespread problems including algae growth and sealant peeling; five others have also been arrested for vandalism at the site