— A vandalized wall was discovered on Monday morning at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park in Raleigh.

Around 9:30 a.m., crews began scrubbing away a message that was painted in white on the brick wall surrounding the gardens, at 1215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Crews said the message, which appeared to read, "Let his own words speak," seemed to promote King's legacy. Crews said three poster boards at the site also contained messages.

The statue and garden area at the park were not damaged.

Even though they support the message, nearby residents said they were upset a wall at the park had been vandalized.

"It's an unfortunate event to deface such an important figure's place," Adrian Powell said.

"I think it's wrong that they actually vandalized it," Felicia Watson said. It's just really ignorance. People are not really thinking."

For Donald Burnett, who said he remembers the day King was killed, the graffiti hurts.

"I knew what was going on in this world. I lived it," Burnett said. "(It's) very personal."

Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown said that, although the graffiti didn't appear to be racist, police were investigating the vandalism.

Anyone with information about the graffiti is asked to call Raleigh Crime Stoppers at 919-834-HELP.