SAN ANTONIO – A memorial mural on the East Side honoring people killed by police has been restored after it was vandalized on MLK Day, when several victims’ names were crossed out.
The “Say Their Names Mural” was re-dedicated after repairs and now includes the name of 19-year-old Nathaniel Moreno, who was killed by San Antonio police last February. Police said Moreno attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle before driving toward officers, when he was shot and killed.
ACT 4 SA, a grassroots criminal justice organization, hosted the unveiling. Members said they will also be adding the name of Ruben Ray Martinez, a San Antonian who was killed on South Padre Island by federal agents.
The vandalism case remains under investigation, and no one has been arrested in connection with it.
Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez criticized whoever damaged the mural, saying, “I’d say it’s a very cruel and ugly thing for someone to do. And, you know, I don’t know what kind of nasty, bitter spirit you have to have to want to trample on, you know, what little these families have left to remember their loved ones by.”
The mural cost about $20,000 when it was originally put up, and it cost $10,000 to remove the vandalism.
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McKee-Rodriguez said one of the best ways to prevent police brutality is to hire officers with a clean record and support a transparent hiring process. Contract negotiations between the city and the police union are ongoing.