Hundreds gathered Friday to mourn slain Federal Protective Service Officer David Patrick Underwood during a memorial at Pinole Valley High School in Pinole.
Underwood, 53, was shot and killed May 29 as he stood guard outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland during a night of Black Lives Matter protests.
Another federal officer was injured in what authorities say was a targeted shooting by Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo, who is reportedly part of an extremist group known as the Boogaloo Movement.
"My brother loved everyone, and everyone loved Pat," said Angela Underwood-Jacobs, Underwood's sister. "Pat was just one of those guys who would help anyone in their time of need. And he did it from the heart, he lived from his heart."
Underwood-Jacobs and other family members, along with Homeland Security agents, police officials, and other community leaders were expected to speak during the memorial at the Pinole Valley High School Theatre, 2900 Pinole Valley Road.
Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Bernstein of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church of Richmond conducted the eulogy.
Read Angela Underwood-Jacobs' speech in its entirety below.
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Good morning and thank you all for being here and celebrating the life of our brother, Dave Patrick Underwood.
My brother Gregory and I, along with our families want to extend an additional thank you to the people across the country and around the globe for their love, kindness, and prayers.
People from all over the world are praying for us--and praying for peace. We have heard from a pastor and his congregation in Africa, people in Great Britain, and from many others who send their sympathies, their love, their hope, and their prayers for peace and justice. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Our brother Patrick was a good man, secure and confident, but never arrogant. He stood tall, strong; stoic like a tree, reaching for the sky. He treated everyone with respect, until they gave him reason not to. He knew that giving respect and agreement were not always the same. He believed that the key to living life is to treat people with dignity, humility, and grace. That was, our brother, Patrick.
I'm sure some of you know, he was an amazing baseball player. He was a lefty, a pitcher. He was valiant on the mound and was a natural athlete. Every weekend, our family, along with our great-grandmother, grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins, would go to Fernandez Park and be the loudest people there, especially our Auntie Minnie. We had so much fun. Pat loved the game and he was spectacular to watch.
Pat won so many trophies, our parents ran out of room in the house. He was a true athlete, excelling at basketball as well as baseball. Pat had a tremendous outside shot on the basketball court, just like our Dad. Everything Patrick did appeared to be effortless. But, that was Pat, no drama, smooth and graceful, which was his personal style.
He also had a giving heart. He donated to local baseball youth organizations. He did this to support the sport he loved so dearly and to help other kids have that same experience of team, of community, and of personal accomplishment and success.
He also had a giving heart. He donated to local baseball youth organizations. He did this to support the sport he loved so dearly and to help other kids have that same experience of team, of community, and of personal accomplishment and success.
Pat, like our brother Gregory, loved cars. The Nissan Z was his favorite. He had 3 of them. Why, I'm not so sure! I guess he needed options, probably to match his clothes because he was sharp and stylish. He got that from our Mom. Soft-spoken, well-groomed, and coordinated. If he wore Nike, it was all Nike.
Even though I was the first born and a year older than Pat, he always seemed like an older brother. After our parents passed, often times, I'd call him to seek his advice. He'd always say, “believe in yourself, work hard, and ask for what you want.” Which is exactly what our Mom and Dad would've said. Now, that he's gone, who will I call now?
Patrick loved his career as a federal officer for the Department of Homeland Security. Protecting the citizens and serving the public. He had a strong work ethic, just like our parents and grandparents taught us. To lead with integrity, love and unity.
Patrick was murdered by the blind violence of hatred, ignorance, fear, and discrimination. We struggle every day to mend the hole in our hearts that his death has created. Our brother is gone and we will never see, feel, or hear the love, kindness, strength, compassion, and passion that he shared with us, his friends, and everyone he met.
As we all struggle with Pat's death, trying to find logic in the illogical, I'm sure Pat would want us all to find meaning and purpose in his death--and in our own lives.
Pat believed everyone has a purpose and it's up to us to fulfill it. He'd say: We must always have hope and we should dream big--dream the impossible. And, he believed if we followed this path it would lead us to become greater every day, greater and better people than we were the day before.
None of us will ever be the same after knowing my brother Pat. And, none of us will be the same after his unjust death. A brother, a friend, a mentor, a leader, a good man has wrongly been taken from us.
We shouldn’t be at a memorial service for Pat, we should be watching sports with him, driving in one of his Nissan Z’s to dinner, and we should be able to spend the Christmas holidays together as family and friends. We should be able to look upon my brother in his splendid stylish clothes, his fancy cars, and his wonderful personality, and be able to share some time, wisdom and fun together.
Pat never told anyone how to live. But, he lived. And what an amazing life it was! I will never forget the way my brother smiled and the way he loved his family with every piece of his heart.
Pat lived with honor, distinction, fearlessness and love. He lived without regret.
I want to leave you with some thoughts and principles about the path forward after the murder of Pat.
I am angered by my brother’s death. But I am not angry. We cannot let anger or emotion drive our lives. We cannot let other’s hateful actions drive us to hate them back. We must not be embittered by this horrific injustice. Hate, vengeance, and violence solves nothing.
We will, we must, as individuals and as a society, overcome discrimination, bias, hated, and violence of any kind-- whether it be against African-Americans or against people who wear the uniform of a peace officer, as our brother did, to protect and serve and to ensure the safety of every citizen.
For all of you feeling pain or despair: Our hearts go out to you and your families. Although I don’t know exactly what to say, as I am broken too, but I want you to know that we are with you in thought and wish you comfort and peace as we all mourn Patrick's loss and heal together.
Lastly, help us honor Pat and create a legacy for him and for our society. We ask you to join us and use your own personal powers of understanding, hope, inclusion, and love, to ensure that there will someday truly be liberty and justice for all. I hope and trust that this righteous path will lead to the end of discrimination against any person of color or anyone who wears a badge.
Thank you.
