On August 14, 2006, tragedy struck in the NoPa neighborhood of San Francisco when 17-year-old Aubrey Abrakasa was shot and killed in a brazen daylight attack.
As Aubrey departed from his mother’s house nearby, headed to his job as a youth counselor in Bernal Heights, he encountered a vehicle speeding down Baker Street.
Witnesses recount that Aubrey shouted ‘Run!’ to alert those in the vicinity before he himself was shot.
In total, approximately 30 rounds were fired from the vehicle, with Aubrey sustaining 12 gunshot wounds to his back.
Despite his promising future as a diligent student poised to start his senior year in high school, the motives behind this horrific crime remain unclear to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD).
The prevailing theory suggests that Aubrey may have been the victim of mistaken identity, with reports indicating that another individual nearby could have been the intended target.
Former SFPD Chief Tony Chaplin, reflecting on the case during the 10th anniversary in 2016, mentioned that investigators believe the local gang known as the Central Division Players was likely involved, though Aubrey was not connected to any gang activity.
If the incident had occurred in recent years, it is likely surveillance footage would have captured crucial evidence, such as the vehicle from which the shots were fired.
Instead, the SFPD continues to rely on eyewitness accounts, hoping someone will come forward with vital information about the shooter or the vehicle’s occupants.
In an effort to encourage people to share what they know, both the police and Aubrey’s mother, Paulette Brown, have reiterated their calls for assistance from the public.
With the passage of new legislation in June 2023 by the Board of Supervisors, there are now increased opportunities for tipsters to receive rewards for information leading to arrests.
A $250,000 reward still stands for anyone who can provide substantial information, and the new law allows for rewards to be issued upon the filing of criminal charges, rather than after a conviction.
Moreover, anonymity is guaranteed for tipsters, who will not be restricted by any past criminal histories, giving more individuals the freedom to come forward.
For nearly two decades, Paulette Brown has transformed her grief into advocacy for crime victims.
The SFPD acknowledges her relentless pursuit of justice on behalf of her son and other families affected by violent crime.
In collaboration with the SFPD’s Homicide Detail and Crime Strategies Division, Ms. Brown has played a key role in developing a digital posterboard that displays homicide victim reward bulletins at district station lobbies.
Paulette expressed her passion for advocacy, stating, ‘I’m turning my grief into action.
I have to do that because I can’t sit in a therapist’s office and wait for her to say, ‘OK, Miss Brown, your time is up. I’ll see you next week.’ I can’t do that. I gotta advocate. I gotta move.’
Commemorating the anniversary of Aubrey’s death, family members, advocates, and police gathered on Thursday at the intersection of Baker and Grove.
Former Supervisor Dean Preston addressed the attendees, emphasizing the broader implications of gun violence in the community.
He stated, ‘Every person lost to gun violence in our city and our society is a policy failure, and that means by self-inclusion, every leader here — it is wonderful we are gathered together — but we also know that collectively, we don’t do enough as a city, as a state, and as a country.’
The haunting case of Aubrey Abrakasa remains open, illustrating the urgent need for community involvement and action to bring about justice.
image source from：sfist
