Alejandro Aguilera

Alejandro Aguilera was a young man who had found his purpose and was transforming his life into a story of leadership and hope. An 18-year-old Hispanic junior at Life Academy of Health and Bioscience in Oakland, California, he had overcome a difficult past that included juvenile probation to become an admired student leader. Teachers and peers remembered his charisma, his warm smile, his politeness, and his humility. A positive relationship with his own probation officer had inspired him to pursue a career in the same field, hoping to help other young people. He had earned a coveted spot on his school’s leadership team and was set to mentor younger students. His family had recently moved from Oakland to San Leandro, but Alejandro remained deeply connected to his old neighborhood and friends.

On the evening of Friday, June 1, 2012, that promising future was violently extinguished. At about 8:44 p.m., Alejandro was standing with friends outside the Mini Market at the corner of 96th Avenue and Olive Street in East Oakland. He was a frequent visitor to the store and was waiting for the owner's son to finish his work shift. According to police, a passenger in a car that was turning from 96th onto Olive opened fire on the group, firing multiple shots. Alejandro was the only person hit. He stumbled back inside the market, where he collapsed and died.

The Oakland Police Department immediately began an investigation into the drive-by shooting. Investigators stated early on that they did not believe Alejandro was the intended target. The other people he was with were not injured and had left the scene by the time officers arrived. The market’s exterior wall and a candy machine just inside the door were also struck by the gunfire. Police struggled to find a motive or any significant leads, and no arrests were ever made. Alejandro’s death was the 48th homicide in Oakland that year, a statistic that matched the city's deadly pace from the year before.

News of the tragedy sent waves of shock and devastation through his family and the close-knit community at Life Academy. His aunt, Alicia Magdaleno, shared that he had talked about joining the Army after graduation and dreamed of one day getting married and starting a family. The school, which had already mourned five other students lost to violence since 2005, was plunged into grief once again. Students and teachers gathered over the weekend, creating altars and a slideshow of photos to honor his memory. An Aztec prayer ritual was held, and at a school-wide assembly, many shared stories of the positive impact Alejandro had on their lives.

Alejandro’s journey had been one of remarkable resilience. A teacher, Annie Hatch, recalled that he had been involved in gang activity and had even been shot once before he came to Life Academy, but he had "turned his entire life around." His transformation was so complete that he was preparing to co-lead a program called “Be a Man” for the school’s new sixth-grade class, eager to serve as a role model. "He was a natural born leader," said Alex Vila, an administrator at the school. His classmate, Hernán Gallo, remembered how Alejandro could defuse tension and make people laugh, often joking, "Can we switch brains?"

In the aftermath, those who loved Alejandro sought to create a positive legacy. His friends posted artwork at the corner where he was killed and planned to plant flowers in his honor. They also began raising money to help his family with funeral expenses. A weekly community soccer game, which several of his teachers played in, was dedicated to his memory the following Sunday, with players collecting donations for his family. During a memorial, Life Academy’s principal, Preston Thomas, urged students to live with the same love and compassion that Alejandro had shown.

The investigation into Alejandro Aguilera's murder remains unsolved. The Oakland Police Department has not publicly identified any suspects, and the random, senseless nature of his death continues to haunt his loved ones and the community. A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered by Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland for any information that leads to an arrest in the case. Authorities ask anyone with information to call the police at 510-238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.