Friends gather in Berkeley to remember Oakland songwriter

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Friends of a popular Oakland singer-songwriter gathered Thursday night to remember him.

RELATED: Friends remember man killed in Oakland as dedicated artist

Dave Deporis, 40, was killed Wednesday afternoon while chasing down a thief who stole his computer.

A candle burned at a small memorial on Rich Street in Oakland -- where Deporis lost his life. Friends gathered in Berkeley to remember the singer-songwriter outside a converted school bus named Splendor.

Deporis toured with fellow musicians in the bus.

"Dave was a mystic, he was a spiritual dude," said friend Pancho Morris. "He was special."

Friends say Deporis loved writing and performing his music.

"He had a degree of magic he brought to his performances," said friend Wiley Rogers.

Police say Deporis was sitting at a cafe on Telegraph Avenue when someone grabbed his laptop and jumped into a car.

Officials say he chased the thief, grabbed the side of the car and was briefly dragged until he was run over. The suspect got away.

Neighbors found Deporis gravely injured.

"I don't know him, but he's young -- whole life ahead. I wish he'd let go -- maybe he couldn't," said neighbor Leslie Gravino.

"Property can be replaced, life can't. In this instance it was dangerous," said Oakland police spokesperson Marco Marquez.

Neighbors who never knew Depirs are paying respects.

Friends believe much of his recorded music was on that stolen laptop. they hope to share other clips of him singing on social media sharing his talents with the Bay Area and the world.