SANTA CRUZ > Take Back Santa Cruz plans community event to commemorate Shannon Collins
Late last night, Tuesday, May 8, Take Back Santa Cruz founder Analicia Cube posted the words “I am Shannon Collins” on the group’s Facebook page.
At the time of this writing, nearly 20 others—men and women, alike—had followed suit and commented that they, too, are Shannon Collins.
Collins was a 38-year-old Santa Cruz resident and downtown business owner who was brutally murdered on Monday, May 7 in the city’s Lower Broadway neighborhood. According to the Santa Cruz Police Department, the attack was random and had no clear motive. The attacker was Charles Anthony Edwards, a 43-year-old transient from San Francisco with “an extensive violent crime history.” You can read more about the incident here.
“I am Shannon” is also the name the TBSC event Cube has planned for Monday, May 14—one week after Collins’ death. “We are all her,” Cube says. “You could be her. I could be her. She was one of us. That’s the basic sentiment.”
If the group receives the city permits they have applied for, the event will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Campbell and Broadway streets, where Collins was attacked. The march, which is open to everyone, is meant to symbolically take Collins “home”—participants will walk from where Collins’ died to her treasured downtown business, Camouflage. “We are going to start on Campbell and Broadway and walk down Broadway, turn down Front Street, down Cathcart and take her back to Camouflage,” says Cube. “She is not going to stay there. That is not happening. We are not going to leave her there. We’re going to bring her back.”
Those interested in participating can stay tuned to TBSC’s Facebook page. Check back with gtweekly.com for coverage of the march, and more.
