Waukesha Christmas Parade victims' mural vandalized: 'It's not right'

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha mural honoring the Christmas Parade attack victims was vandalized, and some believe an original designer is to blame.

Brandon Fox's name was spray-painted on the mural. 

One of the artists who worked on the project said it’s an insult to everyone who painted it, and more importantly, she said it’s disrespectful to the victims it honors.

"It makes me reflect on the day that it happened," said Alayne Secor.

The mural honors the six people killed during Waukesha’s 2021 Christmas Parade attack. It’s an image so moving, Secor stopped to take a picture of it.

"I’m so happy they finished this mural," said Secor. "It’s so beautiful. I’m really sad that someone had to vandalize it."

Secor noticed the name spray-painted in the corner right away.

In April 2022, before a dot of paint even touched the wall, FOX6 interviewed the three artists who presented their design to the city’s Public Art Committee: Brandon Fox, Jessica Stahl and Christina Dreyer.

"We’re talking to groups of people that want to come and help paint – setting this up so it is a community effort, so it is the community doing it together," said Dreyer.

Dreyer declined an interview Monday, Oct. 2 but told FOX6 she filed a police report after she found the mural tagged with Fox’s name. She said it was the second time his name was graffitied in the spot.

"Not right. It’s not right," said Andrew Linden.

A few feet away, Linden, an artist, captured downtown Waukesha with his own brush. He said he feels sorry for the mural’s artists.

"It’s painting over something that someone else took their time to paint," he said.

Dreyer said Fox's involvement with the project stopped when the frame was constructed in July 2022. She said it hurts everyone involved knowing that the mural keeps getting vandalized.

Secor had a message for the person disrespecting this memorial.

"Come and clean it up," said Secor. "Repaint it."

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FOX6 reached out to Brandon Fox by email Monday. He said this incident is "being figured out and dealt with." Fox did not answer when we asked if he spray-painted his name on the mural.

Police said they are investigating.