Full Breakdown
Bust of Robert F. Kennedy Stolen from RFK Stadium Site Amid Redevelopment
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A bronze bust of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy was taken from the publicly accessible grounds of the former Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C. The theft was reported after the sculpture disappeared sometime between mid-September and early October. The pedestal remained on site and was subsequently moved into storage. Police have opened a second-degree theft investigation but have not identified any suspects.
Background & Context
The stadium, renamed in 1969 to honor Kennedy after his 1968 assassination, had been decommissioned in 2019. The bronze bust, created by sculptor Robert Berks, had stood near the main entrance for decades, even after the venue’s demolition began to make way for a new stadium. In 2024, Congress approved legislation to facilitate redevelopment of the RFK site, aiming to return the NFL’s Washington Commanders to the District. The Commanders pledged $2.7 billion in private investment, while D.C. announced an additional $1.1 billion over eight years for a new stadium, housing, and green space on the federally owned Anacostia River parcel. The overall development plan is projected to cost $3.8 billion and target a 2030 opening.
Data & Statistics
- 1969 – Installation of the bronze bust by Robert Berks.
- 2019 – RFK Stadium ceased operations.
- $2.7 billion – Private investment pledged by the Washington Commanders.
- $1.1 billion – D.C. public investment earmarked for the redevelopment.
- $3.8 billion – Total projected cost of the new stadium and surrounding development.
Official Statements & Responses
Events DC, the agency that manages the stadium campus, issued a statement confirming that the bust was missing from its pedestal and that a police report had been filed with the Metropolitan Police Department. The agency noted that the remaining granite pedestal had been placed in storage for safekeeping. The police report characterizes the incident as second-degree theft and indicates that the bust was removed from the site without the pedestal, but provides no further details on how the removal was accomplished.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If this had been the priceless artifact that we were all told it was, then they would have protected it,” — Denise Krepp, local resident.
- “At first, I was in shock, and then I started to cry,” — Skip Strobel, longtime caretaker of the RFK area.
What’s Next
Police continue to investigate the theft, and the case remains open with no suspects identified. The redevelopment timeline proceeds toward a projected 2030 opening of the new stadium, and Events DC has indicated that the pedestal will remain in storage until a permanent solution for the site’s memorial elements is determined.