Michael Karlis
The relations and pals of Baltasar Rodriguez Jr., Andre “AJ” Hernandez and Marquis Jones stand in entrance of the mural unveiled in Friday, Sept. 1.
A primary-of-its-kind mural unveiled Friday night on a West Aspect transport container memorializes these allegedly slain by law-enforcement officers in San Antonio.
Amongst those that have misplaced their lives in recent times: Marquise Jones, Charles “Chop” Roundtree, Kevin Johnson, Melissa Perez, Andre “AJ” Hernandez, Alejandro Vitela, Norman Cooper, Marcus McVae, Jesse Aguirre and Antronie Scott.
“It isn’t fairly completed,” Ananda Tomas, govt director of police reform group ACT 4 SA, advised reporters the disclosing. “We do have the names of different victims of SAPD. We all know this isn’t all of them. There’s solely a lot area on a transport container, however it does present that there’s an issue right here.”
The mural, spray-painted on a container at 2115 North Zarzamora St., options phrases corresponding to “dependancy,” “overdose” and “excited delirium,” which police-reform advocates say authorities typically use in an try to clarify away deaths by the hands of officers.
Certainly, SAPD used the time period “excited delirium” because the reason behind loss of life for the late Baltasar Rodriguez Jr.
SAPD officers apprehended Rodriguez on Sept. 1, 2021, after somebody referred to as to report a person stumbling round an East Aspect road. Though it was obvious that Rodriguez was experiencing a medical episode, police put him on his abdomen and handcuffed him, his relations stated.
Michael Karlis
The mural, situated at 2115 N Zarzamora St., honors these killed by police in San Antonio.
SAPD has nonetheless not allowed Rodriguez’s mom, Mary, to view body-cam footage, in line with the household. And regardless of police writing that her son died of “excited delirium” — a reason behind loss of life that courts now not acknowledge, Tomas stated — Rodriguez’s post-mortem states that he had 4 damaged ribs, bruises on his face and leg abrasions.
“They killed him,” longtime Rodriguez good friend John Allison Vaughn stated earlier than the disclosing of the mural. “They killed him as a result of it doesn’t matter what, they dealt with the scenario improper. He was alive when he was arrested and lifeless when he left — that’s the underside line.”
Members of the family of Andre “AJ” Hernandez, Marquis Jones and Sgt. Damien Daniels additionally have been attendance through the unveiling. Hernandez and Jones have been each shot by SAPD officers, and Daniels — a veteran reportedly struggling a psychological well being episode — was shot by a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy.
Rudy Rodriguez, a childhood good friend who grew up with Baltasar Rodriguez Jr., accomplished the portray. The mural is his first work of public artwork.
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