James Patterson attends 5th anniversary vigil for Oscar Grant RIP at Fruitvale Station. A crowd estimated over 200 held vigil with family of Oscar Grant to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 22-year-old father of one brutally murdered by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) police on January 1, 2009, at Fruitvale Station. Grant's mother, girlfriend and 9-year-old daughter were present as was filmmaker Ryan Coogler, and rappers Ras Ceylon and Jasiri X.
Coogler's critically acclaimed 2012 "Fruitvale Station" documented Grant's killing by a white South African BART police officer at the East Bay BART station. The BART officer ordered Grant off the train and ordered him face down on the BART platform. The police officer fatally shot Grant in the back.
The race motivated murder immediately drew international outrage and protests. BART was ordered by a court to pay Grant's daughter over $1 million. The BART officer was eventually arrested and claimed he only intended to use his Taser on Grant and accidentally fired his revolver. The officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sent to prison.
Tatiana Grant, daughter of Oscar Grant, Grant's "Uncle Buddy," pictured here courtesy of a local photographer, were among the many people who wore Oscar Grant t-shirts at the vigil.
When the verdict came down on BART police officer Mehserle, I was in the Burton Federal Building in San Francisco speaking with DHS staff. Top Homeland Security officials advised all employees to leave the building early as riots were expected in Downtown San Francisco. Luckily, we were spared but rioting did break out in Oakland with angry mobs looting stores, breaking store windows, assaulting passersby, and stopping traffic. It was awful to see so many minorities who felt they had no voice in the justice system and reverted violence and theft.
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