Artist who was next to #Antonio Ramos says no altercation, just a few brief words exchanged, then gunshot. pic.twitter.com/4oBugpmGmy
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) September 30, 2015
Less than 24 hours after one of their own was gunned down while painting a mural that symbolizes peace, fellow artists, friends, and family of Ramos returned to pay tribute to him.
"There are people that want to take from other things in order to make themselves whole, and so Tony experienced that," said Oakland Unified School District Board of Education Director Jumoke Hinton Hodge.
The shooting happened at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"He donated his time, his energy, his talent," said Javier Rocabado.
Rocabado is the lead artist for the mural project. He was right above Ramos on scaffolding, when the shooting happened. According to Rocabado, there was no argument, just a few words exchanged between Ramos and the suspect.
Friend of muralist #AntonioRamos: "He went out on top of his game...was living life to the fullest." @abc7newsBayArea pic.twitter.com/YcyQLUqYvj
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) September 30, 2015
"Antonio never raised his voice," he said. "There was no altercation, there was nothing like that. It was just a guy, crazy, walking through here. He probably stole something or did something to the mural and Antonio was asking why did you do that?"
His friends say it would be just like Ramos to try to talk to a passerby, not confront him with anger.
"For his generation, you know, he spoke to a lot of people out here, people with different backgrounds," said family friend Patrick Jackson. "Now, it's unfortunate he has to live through his art."
VIDEO: Oakland artist murdered while working on mural honored at vigil
And though they plan to take a few days off, the artists pledge to make sure that Ramos' art does live on by finishing what he started.
ArtEsteem is raising funds to complete the remaining murals through an Indiegogo campaign.
Click here to donate to the Oakland Superheroes Mural Project Indiegogo campaign.
Click here to make a donation to help Ramos' family with funeral costs.
Vigil held for Antonio Ramos who was shot and killed while painting a community mural pic.twitter.com/VO3mJtCuFo
— Janet O (@JanetONews) September 30, 2015
#AntonioRamos murdered in #Oakland while painting boy with powers to heal and stop violence. @oaklandpoliceca pic.twitter.com/T5e8Bit0FC
— alan wang (@AlanWangABC7) September 30, 2015
#muralists #murder #antonioramos #oakland All Antonio wanted to do was help beautify the neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/3uMyvEH3aM
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) September 29, 2015
#oakland #murders #muralists Tonight, friends of Antonio Ramos spelled his initials candles on the concrete. pic.twitter.com/BYoRttSuH8
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) September 29, 2015
#Oakland #Murders Friends of the #muralist tell us he was Antonio Ramos. pic.twitter.com/EbFurrg8aj
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) September 29, 2015
#muralist #Oakland #murder Friends describe the victim as committed. “This piece was for the community.” pic.twitter.com/ToSxt58VHp
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) September 29, 2015
Other #muralists have picked up their paintbrushes from crime scene. Say they will finish it + tribute. #oakland pic.twitter.com/5LRpwy3kst
— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) September 29, 2015