Ahmad Jamal Belton, 43, was fatally shot in Oakland, California, on July 31, 2013. Police responded to reports of gunfire and found Belton with life-threatening injuries; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators opened an inquiry into the circumstances of the shooting.

The case reflects broader problems Oakland faced then: high violent-crime levels, gun violence as a leading cause of homicide, and investigative obstacles such as few witnesses and community reluctance to come forward. Belton’s death remained among the city’s unsolved murders, leaving family and friends to mourn a life cut short by senseless violence.

Anyone who has information about what happened that day is urged to contact the authorities to help bring justice and closure to Belton’s family.