DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Flowers rest on the new statue of Santos Rodriguez in Pike Park. The 12-year-old was shot and killed nearly 50 years ago by a Dallas Police Officer in a game of Russian roulette.
“What had happened here in Dallas did not only shake our city, but it shook the nation,” Pauline Medrano said.
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In 1973, officers yanked Santos and his brother out of bed in hopes of getting them to confess to stealing from a gas station. His killer, former officer Darrell Cain, only served two and half years in prison.
The incident became a pivotal moment in Dallas history. Hundreds marched in protest.
“The murder of Santos Rodriguez was a shame on our city,” Mayor Johnson said. “It was a disgrace to the honorable men and women who proudly serve on the Dallas Police Department.”
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The city of Dallas honored Santos’ life with a statue, and Mayor Eric Johnson declared February 12 as Santos Rodriguez Day as hundreds paid tribute to him.
Dallas officials, family members, and Mayor Eric Johnson dedicate a statue to Santos Rodriguez. (credit: City of Dallas)
Santos mother, Bessie Rodriguez, was there. She stared in awe at the six-foot creation that stands in the same park her little boy used to play. The statue shows a boy smiling with his arms stretched wide.
City leaders say while the statue and the recreational center in his name can’t bring Santos back, they’re hoping his tragedy continues to spark change.
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“With darkness brings light, my hope is that this begins the healing process,” Jesse Moreno said.
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