BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — A priest in Bay Village says someone called police to report a homeless person. Turns out, it was actually a statue of Jesus.
Within twenty minutes of the statue arriving, I was having a conversation with a very kind police officer because someone called to report a homeless man sleeping on a park bench. Within twenty minutes... https://t.co/kyD1vyEd4p — Alex Martin (@ADMartin86) October 12, 2020
The sculpture was created by Timothy Schmalz and depicts a man wrapped in a blanket and lying on a bench.
Within 20 minutes of the sculpture being installed at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, police were called, according to Alex Martin, the pastor at St. Barnabas. He tweeted that he spoke with an officer because someone reported a homeless person sleeping on a park bench.
News 5 has reached out to Bay Village police for more details.
According to the church's website, because Bay Village isn't impacted much by poverty, the statue is meant to remind residents how serious homelessness is in the world.
The temporary installment will be on display until Dec. 1.
The church is raising money to try and help the homeless.
Pastor Martin shared a link on Twitter to donate here.
rollitorbowlit on October 16th, 2020 at 15:23 UTC »
who tf calls the cops for someone sleeping on a bench
chazwomaq on October 16th, 2020 at 15:18 UTC »
"When confronted by officers, the man remained stony-faced."
crimsonblade55 on October 16th, 2020 at 14:55 UTC »
So they built a statue to remind people that homelessness is a problem and that homeless people are people too and it gets called the police on. Honestly the title doesn't do this story justice as to how oniony it is.