Zavier Patton

Zavier Patton was a young man of exemplary character, known for his wisdom, kindness, and drive. A 19-year-old from the East Bay, Zavier was a 2019 graduate of Skyline High School in Oakland, where he had been a dedicated athlete on the varsity basketball and track and field teams. He also participated in the African American Male Achievement program. His family remembered him as a "very good, wise and beautiful soul" and an "inspiration." After losing their mother to cancer six years earlier, Zavier was raised with the help of his older sister, Krystal King, and he grew into a role model for his young nephews. He was studying computer science at California State University, Northridge, and had just completed his freshman year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he had returned home to live with his sister's family in Hayward and was just days away from starting his sophomore year via online classes.

On the night of Saturday, August 15, 2020, Zavier attended a friend's graduation party at a housing complex on International Boulevard in Oakland. His brother-in-law, Bryan Bassette, had dropped him off at the celebration. Shortly after 10:30 p.m., Zavier joined a group of other young people in a prayer circle in the parking lot. As they stood together, a white SUV and a gray Nissan sedan drove past. Suddenly, an occupant of the Nissan opened fire on the group. Zavier was struck by the gunfire and killed. He was a Black male.

Oakland Police Department investigators who responded to the scene determined that Zavier and his friends were innocent bystanders and not the intended targets of the shooting. "This group of young men was not involved in any violence," said Oakland Police Lieutenant Fred Shavies. Police stated they had no motive for the senseless killing, which was one of 57 homicides the city had seen by that point in 2020. The shooters and the vehicles they were in fled the scene.

The investigation into Zavier's murder remains active, but no arrests have been announced. In the days following the shooting, police appealed to the public for help in identifying those responsible. "We need help in figuring out who's responsible for these crimes and the other homicides we've seen in the last two weeks," said Oakland Police Deputy Chief Leronne Armstrong at the time. The department has not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest.

Zavier's family was left shattered by the sudden and random act of violence. His sister, Krystal King, remembered her brother as a caring young man who would always ask how her day was when she got home from work. "Kids don't ask," she said. "I'm supposed to come home and ask how was your day." The simple things, she said, became heartbreaking. His brother-in-law, an assistant principal in the Oakland Unified School District, expressed the family's anguish and the unsettling fear that had entered their lives. "You can send your kid to a party and when you think it's safe, they might not come home," Bassette said. "That's really an unsettling feeling."

The community mourned the loss of a promising young life cut short. The Oakland Unified School District issued a statement honoring Zavier and other students and alumni who had recently died. A GoFundMe campaign was established to help his family cover funeral expenses. Zavier Patton's funeral services were held on September 2, 2020, at the Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward. As of the latest reports, his murder remains unsolved, and his family is still waiting for justice.