A young man trying to assist a friend being assaulted was shot and killed after a neighborhood block party.
It was 1:30 a.m. on September 12, 1999, and a large block party was wrapping up near 16th Street and Jones Avenue. That's when two girls got into a fight that quickly escalated into a gang brawl.
Christopher Acosta, who had no gang ties, was coming to the aid of another person who was being beaten by four men.
He never got there.
Witnesses say Christopher was shot and killed before he could help his friend.
Though there were dozens of people at the scene, they provided very little information for police to go on.
Some said the gunman was seen firing shots into the air before Christopher was shot. Others gave police a generic description: Hispanic male, 19-21 years old, 5’6”-5’8”, 130-150 lbs., but not much else.
According to the victim's family, Christopher graduated from Cortez High School and was working at Discover Card. He was preparing to attend junior college.
The family says the autopsy showed no drugs or alcohol in Christopher's system at the time of his death. They also say there were no signs that he was involved the brawl. He was just trying to help.
It's been 18 years since the murder. If you know something, it's time to speak up. You can remain anonymous.
If you have any information regarding this case, contact Silent Witness at 480-W-I-T-N-E-S-S (480-948-6377) or 1-800-343-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $1,000 for information.
