Family still grieves man fatally shot in Hayward last September
HAYWARD — On the second day of every month since Brent Vicens was fatally shot Sept. 2, his 9-year-old niece Keionii launches balloons into the sky that carry a written message to him or a drawing she has done depicting her memories of him.
His killing prompted his large, devastated family, which was also grieving the death of an uncle a week earlier from cancer and that of his brother-in-law more than a week later from a heart attack, to decide to not gather together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, his sister Corina Anguiano said.
Not having Vicens in their lives anymore, especially the way he died, “is still extremely hard” for everyone, Anguiano said.
Vicens, the oldest of seven children, was fatally shot about 2 a.m. Sept. 2 outside the Vagabond Inn, 500 West A St., becoming Hayward’s first homicide victim of the year. The case remains unsolved and police said they still have not been able to determine a motive or identify any suspects.
His family continues to mourn him, hoping for some closure and wanting to know why he was killed.
“He was the best brother anyone could ask for,” Anguiano said. “Brent’s love for his family showed daily. He was always there to lend a hand and support each of us as we needed. He even stepped in as a father figure to help two of his sisters when they were single moms raise their two sons.”
“Our lives will never be the same without him and the pain of him being gone is still very raw,” Anguiano said. “The reality of us not ever being able to embrace our brother or hear his contagious laugh again is an overbearing pain that we would never wish upon anyone. We as a family feel that this process will never get easier until we receive the justice that our brother deserves.”
Vicens graduated from San Lorenzo High School in 1966 and even though he was unemployed when he was killed, he had worked as a salesman, waiter and warehouseman. He had no children.
Police have said Vicens was shot several times by a man in a dark four-door sedan that pulled up alongside him. The gunman was described as Latino, in his 30s to 40s, with black hair and brown eyes who wore framed glasses.
Hayward Sgt. Greg Velasquez said “our hearts go out to the Vicens family and everyone affected by his untimely death. We will continue to pursue any leads that will result in the arrest of the person or persons responsible for his death.”
Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call police at 510-293-7176.
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