William Patterson was 28 when he was shot and killed in Oakland, California, on December 11, 2009. His death came during a year that saw 104 homicides in the city and a struggling Oakland Police Department, with an overall homicide clearance rate around 42 percent in 2009.

Patterson’s case remained unsolved amid a broader pattern of understaffing, limited resources, and low community cooperation that hampered follow‑up on leads in higher‑crime neighborhoods. Families of victims from that period continue to press for justice while authorities have called for community assistance and the use of new investigative techniques, including forensic tools, to address the backlog of cold cases.

If anyone knew William Patterson, saw activity near where he lived or worked in December 2009, or has information that could help investigators, please come forward to assist the ongoing inquiries.