Marcus Nathanial West Jr., a 21-year-old resident of Oakland, California, tragically lost his life on March 3, 2015. Marcus was shot and killed in the early morning hours as he was leaving his home near Knowland Park in the Oakland hills. The incident occurred around 7 a.m. on the 4700 block of Scotia Avenue, a primarily residential area where violent crimes are rare. Marcus was near his Mitsubishi Galant when he was confronted and shot.
Despite the efforts of his grandmother, Jinnie West, who rushed to his side to comfort and pray with him, Marcus was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Marcus's death led to the arrest of Deshawn Christy, a 24-year-old ex-felon. Christy was charged with the murder of Marcus Nathanial West Jr. and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. Christy, who worked as an emergency medical technician, was also facing charges for three recent counts of burglary. He had a prior conviction for attempted second-degree commercial burglary in Alameda County in 2013. Christy was arraigned on the murder charge and held without bail at the Glenn Dyer Jail in Oakland.
The case against Christy highlighted the senseless nature of the crime, as Marcus was described by his family and neighbors as a hardworking and outgoing young man who enjoyed spending time with his family and his two-month-old son. The neighborhood, which had experienced car break-ins and thefts but not violent crimes, was left in shock by the incident. Marcus's death underscored the impact of gun violence on communities and the importance of addressing such crimes to prevent future tragedies.
