Donations are being collected here in honor of Victor McElhaney, age 21, who was tragically killed in an apparent robbery attempt at a convenience store near the USC campus.
To make your donation, go to the Victor McElhaney Memorial Fund at https://www.gofundme.com/f/victor-mcelhaney-memorial-fund
Victor was an extraordinarily talented drummer and "a bright light", said USC jazz professor Peter Erskine. USC music school dean Robert Cutietta said in a statement, "He enjoyed mentoring young musicians and had a long-standing commitment to community service." And in a letter to students and faculty, USC interim President Wanda Austin wrote that McElhaney "believed in the power of music to touch lives, to heal, and to bring hope."
"He didn't think about himself," said Oakland Councilman Larry Reid. "He thought about others. He was just an all-around great young man."
This campaign has been created at the request of Victor's family and, with the exception of a smaller campaign by the USC Moms Organization, it is the only authorized campaign. Funds will be used to assist the McElhaney Family with final arrangements and a memorial concert in honor of Victor McElhaney and the families of victims of gun violence.
Following is a statement from his mother, Lynette McElhaney:
"It is with the utmost sadness that I share with you the tragic news that my son, Victor McElhaney, was slain last night in a senseless act of violence. Victor was a 21-year old senior at USC Thornton School of Music, where he was pursuing his lifelong love of music with some of the greats. Victor was a son of Oakland. He was a musician who drew his inspiration from the beat, soul, and sound of the Town and he belonged in every nook and cranny of Oakland. I miss my baby. Please keep me, my family, and all of my son's friends in your thoughts and prayers. We are beginning a new chapter in this reoccurring circle of violence...And it will take all of us together to make it through this tragedy."
Funds will be administered by Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), an East Bay not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to ending mass homelessness, mass incarceration, and community violence ( www.self-sufficiency.org).
