A pedestrian passes a mural of Oscar Grant in Oakland, Calif., shortly before a jury delivered an involuntary manslaughter verdict in Johannes Mehserle's trial on Thursday, July 8, 2010. A white former transit police officer, Mehserle shot and killed the unarmed black Grant on New Year's Day 2009. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Oakland’s Fruitvale BART station is busy with commuters the day after more than 200 people held a vigil to remember the shooting of Oscar Grant. On New Year’s Day, a four-hour ceremony was held to mark the tenth anniversary of Grant’s fatal shooting by a BART police officer. The vigil and remembrance included family members, religious leaders and politicians. A mural of Oscar Grant will be installed at the station in the spring and Grant’s family is asking that the station be named Oscar Grant/Fruitvale Station in his honor.
Video of the moments when Officer Johannes Mehserle shot the then-22-year-old Grant went viral, sparking protests and empowering a movement against police shootings of minorities. Mehserle was charged with second-degree murder and was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and served two years in the Los Angeles County jail.