Fleet Block murals set to be demolished
Aug 16, 2024, 9:00 PM | Updated: Aug 19, 2024, 9:40 am
Tiffany and Aaron James hug near a mural of the their son, Zane James, on a building at 300 West and 900 South in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. James was shot and killed by a Cottonwood Heights police officer in May 2018. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Fleet Block, or the Salt Lake City buildings known for the murals that memorialize people killed in confrontations with police, are facing demolition.
Salt Lake representatives say the structures are unstable and unsalvageable.
City representatives plan to meet tonight with family members of those painted in red and pink to discuss the redevelopment.
Rae Duckworth is Chair of the Black Lives Matter Utah chapter and cousin of Bobby Rae Duckworth who died back in 2019 and is also a part of the murals. He will be among those family members.
“We’re walking into this building with heavy hearts, but it is very unknown to us what is going to happen in this meeting,” said Duckworth.

Ashley Cleveland brings flowers to the George Floyd mural Tuesday, April 20, 2021. (Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
Salt Lake City’s redevelopment plan for the Fleet Block buildings is still in the early stages without a specific timeline. The end goal is to create housing, a public open space for mixed-use purposes.
“We are hoping they install a new permanent memorialization of our loved ones who were killed by police,” said Duckworth.
A statement from the Salt Lake City Mayor’s office says they intend to memorialize them in future plans. However, they have yet to announce the details and a timeline.
The vote to rezone the block happened back in Dec. 2023.
