A unique mural was revealed on a shipping container on the West Side of San Antonio, recently paying tribute to individuals allegedly killed by police. The memorial features paintings of several individuals including Marquise Jones, Charles "Chop" Roundtree, Kevin Johnson, Melissa Perez, Andre "AJ" Hernandez, Baltasar Rodriguez Jr Alejandro Vitela, Norman Cooper, Marcus McVae, Jesse Aguirre, and Antronie Scott.
Rudy Rodriguez, a close friend of Baltasar Rodriguez Jr., was the artist behind the mural, marking his inaugural venture into public art. The artwork's messages include "addiction," "overdose," and "excited delirium," terms often used by authorities to rationalize deaths involving officers, much like the case of Rodriguez Jr., whose cause of death was attributed to "excited delirium."
SAPD officers apprehended Rodriguez in September 2021 during a medical episode, and despite clear signs of distress, he was handcuffed and placed face down, according to family members. The mural serves as a reminder of the mishandling of such situations, with Rodriguez's autopsy revealing four broken ribs, facial bruises, and leg abrasions.
Ananda Tomas, the executive director of the police reform group ACT 4 SA, emphasized that the mural isn't yet complete, acknowledging the existence of additional victims of the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD).
"We do have the names of other victims of SAPD," said Tomas. "We know this is not all of them. There's only so much space on a shipping container, but it does show that there's a problem here."
Link: San Antonio Current
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