On February 12, a 6-foot statue was unveiled to honor the life of Santos Rodriguez, who was senselessly killed at 12 years old by a Dallas Police officer in 1973. The City of Dallas installed the statue in Pike Park, where they hosted a ceremony on Saturday in an act of remembrance.
According to The Dallas Morning News article, the ceremony was a huge step in bringing closure to the Rodriguez family. Santos’ death was only acknowledged and apologized for in 2013 by Mayor Mike Rawlings.
Santos, accused of stealing change from a vending machine, was killed when Dallas police officer Darrell Cain attempted to interrogate the boy and his brother, David. When Santos denied stealing the money, Cain planted a .357 Magnum on the left side of Santos’ head.
Santos was executed on the second shot (the first was an empty chamber, says FOX 4), next to his brother David, who would be handcuffed afterward.
After an investigation, Cain was charged with murder with malice, which landed him only five years in prison. This, and the refusal of the City of Dallas to pay for damages, caused violent protests in 1973.
The now-deceased Reverend Rudy Sanchez stated at the time that Dallas had a double standard in law enforcement and that recognizing the mistreatment of minorities was the first step to solving the problem.
Protesters were especially upset with the lack of diversity in the DPD. Today, the Dallas Police Department is known for its ethnic diversity, with a U.S. Department of Labor case study reporting that 50% of DPD officers were ethnic minorities.
The ceremony was attended by Santos’ mother, Bessie Rodriguez, who had fought for justice for Santos’ death for decades. Bessie was solemn but appreciative of the statue, saying she would “get to come and see it all the time.”
“When people look at this statue and enjoy this statue, I hope we won’t think only of the tragedy of Santos but look beyond to the promise waiting in all kids,” says John Fullinwider, police reform advocate.
The artist, Seth Vandable, created the statue to show a moment of joy in the boy’s life. “Art doesn’t provide answers, but hopefully it causes us to ask the right questions,” Vandable noted.
