Raleigh man charged with vandalizing ECU pirate statue

A Raleigh man has been charged with knocking over a pirate statue on the East Carolina University campus.

ECU police say the iconic "PeeDee the Pirate" statue on the university’s mall was vandalized early Sunday and had to be removed for repairs, NBC affiliate WITN reported.

An 18-year-old who doesn't attend ECU was charged with damage to property. An ECU student was also involved and referred to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office, police said.

Charges against the 18-year-old were later dismissed and his record expunged.

Videos and photos circulating on social media show the statue toppled to the ground, with his sword-wielding arm broken into multiple pieces.

"ECU has a beautiful campus where many Facilities Services employees work tirelessly to maintain its beauty and charm," ECU police Capt. Chris Sutton said in a statement. "It is very unfortunate and disappointing when events like this occur. It isn’t just about a Pirate statue but also about the diligence and effort groundskeepers, housekeepers, painters and countless other facility staff members give to ECU daily."