Mural added to memorial site for Andy Lopez two years after shooting

A mural honoring Andy Lopez has been installed at the site where the 13-year-old boy was fatally shot two years ago by a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy.

Santa Rosa artist Mario Uribe moved the mural a few days ago to the lot on the corner of Moorland and West Robles avenues, where family and friends will gather at 7 p.m. on Thursday for a candlelight vigil and community potluck. The gathering will mark the second anniversary of the boy’s death.

Friends and activists also plan to picket in front the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office at 4 p.m. that day.

Lopez was carrying an airsoft BB gun that resembled an AK-47 assault rifle when he was fatally shot by Deputy Erick Gelhaus on Oct. 22, 2013. Gelhaus said he thought the gun was real and feared for his safety.

Uribe said the Lopez family called him, requesting the 8-by-16-foot mural be installed at the memorial site in time for the vigil. Titled “Mindfulness,” the mural made up of a series of four images of Lopez, with each more faded than the one to its left, was intended to promote reflection on the tragedy without pointing fingers, Uribe said.

He created the mural with the help of local artist Mary Vaughan and three young apprentices from the nonprofit program Artstart, which he oversees.

“A lot of people have seen it. It’s had a healing effect on the community,” Uribe said about the mural, which was originally installed at a former Roseland gas station and was then moved to the side of Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County.

The mural will remain at the memorial site until Nov. 4. Uribe is still looking next installation site for the piece. Those who are interested may reach him at 303-5925.

For complete coverage of the Andy Lopez shooting go to http://pd2go.net/k9tt2Y