There, but by the Grace of God, go I

Man gunned down in busy Oakland park

Shooter approached on foot with kids, others nearby

An unidentified woman tries to cross the police line to reach the body of 32-year old Corey Burts, who was shot to death Monday in a park on 98th Avenue in Oakland.

OAKLAND — A 32-year-old man was shot to death Monday afternoon in an East Oakland park while children played nearby, police said. 

The victim was identified as Corey Burts, who lived a short distance from the park at 98th Avenue and C Street where the shooting occurred about 3 p.m. Monday.

Police believe Burts was approached by someone on foot who shot at him several times, killing him instantly.

The gunman had no regard for the safety of others in the park, police said.

"There were people everywhere, kids and adults," Sgt. James Morris said. "They were out there enjoying the day until this happened."

No one else was hurt.

Police were still trying to determine a motive for the killing of Burts, who had many relatives in the area.

Morris said Burts had many friends and loved ones but also some enemies who may have surprised him at the park.

Word of the shooting spread quickly and several of Burts' relatives rushed to the scene. Some were visibly hysterical after learning he had been killed and saw a tarp covering his body in the park.

Relatives said Burts was the father of two children. The killing was Oakland's 49th homicide of the year. Last year at this time, there were 66 homicides.

Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland offer up to $10,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the killer. Anyone with information can call police at 238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at 238-6946.

This story hits close to home.
I knew Corey Burts.

We weren't friends.
We didn't hang out.
I don't even know that I liked him.

Corey Burts and I attended the same elementary school, a public school in the hills of Oakland, 20 years ago.

He was one of the handful of Black kids at a school for the children of the rich. The privileged.

Sometimes he was a bully. He picked fights with kids both smaller and bigger than him.
In the fourth grade, I vividly remember him doing something that no fourth grade kid in the history of school ANYWHERE had ever had the courage to do.

He fought toe to toe with a six grader. And he won.

He also was proficient in "Yo Mama" jokes and reciting the lyrics from rappers like The Beastie Boys and Run DMC.

I remember word for word his freestyle tribute to Adidas.

"I got Adidas this,
I got Adidas that,
I got Adidas sweatsuit
And Adidas hat
I got Adidas shoes, and Adidas drawz,
I even got Adidas, on ma balls!"

Such was the playground legend of Corey Burts.

I didn't want to invite him to my 10th birthday party, but my mother made me. And I will never forget how happy, how excited he was to get the invitation.

I'll never forget that.


Corey's mother died when we were in the sixth grade. We all knew his mother... She was like Mabel King, the mother from "What's Happening?" She was all Corey had.

We never saw him again.

Over the years, I wondered what became of Corey Burts. Did he have some rich benefactor, like Arnold and Willis and Webster? People who take care of poor Black boys who have lost all in their life?

I doubt it.


And what have I done to continue to receive the continual Blessings from God, over and over and over in my life? What would have happened to me if I lost my mother at such a tender age?

Would I still be a brooding intellectual? Would I know then, as I know now, that I am the Center of the Universe? That the sun, the moon, the stars were all created by God to serve ME? Would I still like soymilk, sushi, or Superman?

Or would my life have taken a different path?



Corey Burts was shot and killed on the afternoon of June 25th, 2007.

I don't know enough to say he deserved a better life.
He deserved a better death.

May God forgive him his sins.