Samantha Alvarado was a 15-year-old ninth-grader at Emiliano Zapata Street Academy when she was shot and killed on June 7, 2014. The shooting occurred about 10:27 p.m. near 82nd Avenue and A Street in East Oakland while she was in a car with two young men who were injured but survived. Samantha was remembered as a model student, a talented artist, and someone who wanted to study law; her principal said the school felt anger, frustration, and powerlessness after her death.

No arrests have been made and investigators have not identified suspects or leads that led to a resolution, leaving the case open and causing ongoing pain for her family and community. Samantha’s killing was described as part of a broader pattern of gun violence affecting parts of Oakland. Does anyone who was in East Oakland that night or who knew Samantha have information that could help move this case forward?