Members of the mural project, in which middle-schoolers re-imagined themselves as superheroes solving problems in their community, referred to the murder in a Facebook post as the result of “senseless gun violence that continues to plague” their communities. “We’re still stuck with these people around here still just destroying stuff”, Jackson said.
Advertisement
“We’re devastated”, David Burke, the mural project’s art director, told the Tribune.
The mural, under an Interstate 580 overpass, illustrates a idyllic scene of West Oakland, with vibrantly-colored Victorian houses amid a tree-lined street and a creek.
Rocabado could only describe the man as a “slender” black male in his late 20s to early 30s, who is six feet tall and wearing black trousers and a black sweatshirt. When he asked the man to step away, he opened fire, shooting the artist multiple times.
Police are looking for the community’s help in finding a second suspect believed to have taken part in a mass weapon burglary this month.
While Kalb said “There’s no magic solution to 100 percent eliminate violent crime in any city”, he added that there are ways to “dramatically reduce it”. Her son has lost five friends in the last couple of years – four to gun violence.
This mural was the 3 in a series of 6 which are planned.
The somber event for Antonio Ramos is being sponsored by ArtEsteem and the Attitudinal Healing Connection, where Ramos worked since 2012.
Aisha Higgins and Chaketha Sneed, 28, live just down the street and pass the site every day as they walk their children to school.
As discussed on the Super Heroes website, the public art project was developed by Attitudinal Healing Connection, which encourages at-risk families to participate in community art programs. Amana Harris runs the nonprofit that oversees the mural project.
Harris said, “His life was sacrificed for this art and he was trying to bring love and art into our community”.
“He had a future”.
Project staff say the mural will be completed with Ramos’ image incorporated into it, and it will be dedicated to the fallen artist.
Advertisement
A 3-year-old boy has died after, police said, he drowned in a nearby lake after wandering from his home with his 2-year-old sister. It was an uplifting and empowering project that unfortunately became a scene of tragedy.
