Nearly two months ago, artist Antonio Ramos was shot and killed while painting a mural promoting non-violence in Oakland. On Nov. 25, it was revealed that the gun used by his killer had been stolen from a U.S. agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ramos was affiliated with the Attitudinal Healing Connection, a program designed to educate and encourage creativity in at-risk youth in Oakland. The mural he was working on when he was shot was a collaboration between many street artists and schoolchildren who helped design the murals, according to CBS. The project was called the Superheroes Mural Project.
When the murder weapon was found in Oakland, it was put through the system and was eventually matched to a Glock handgun that had been reported stolen from an ICE police SUV on Sept. 13 while the officer was out of his car. James Schwab, an ICE spokesman, confirmed the record of the gun's theft. Ramos' death is the second confirmed incident in the Bay Area of a deadly shooting with a stolen police weapon in the past several months, reports Reuters.
The shooter has been identified as Marquise Holloway, 20. He was charged on Tuesday with one count of murder, two counts of attempted robbery and three separate robbery charges, reports the LA Times. The prosecution stated that Holloway attempted to rob Ramos while he was painting the mural on Sept. 30 and then shot him. Holloway admitted to the shooting but claims that it was an accident. He also denies trying to rob the artist, according to Reuters.
On the Indiegogo campaign that was started to fund the mural, friends and collaborators of Ramos wrote, "Despite the horrific loss of our gifted muralist, our team forged ahead and refused to allow Antonio Ramos' life end in vain. The finished mural stands as a beacon of hope and perseverance in spite of the violence that continues to plague our communities."
The mural represents education and cooperation as a means to eliminate violence in the community of Oakland. It was completed on Oct. 21 and was dedicated to Ramos.
