Chrystian Valdez Negrete

Chrystian Valdez Negrete was known to his family and community as a devoted father and a local resident of Oakland. He was 40 years old when he died on August 11, 2018. Public accounts identify him as a father of four children; that role was central to how those who reported on his death described him.

On the night of August 11, 2018, Chrystian had been out in East Oakland and was waiting for a ride when he was struck by gunfire on International Boulevard. He was pronounced dead at the scene. News reports from the time described the shock and grief felt by family and neighbors, and noted the suddenness of the loss to children and relatives who survived him.

Beyond the immediate facts reported in the press, publicly available information about Chrystian’s life is limited. What is clear from reliable sources is that he was a member of the Oakland community and a parent whose children survived him. In remembering Chrystian, it is important to hold the simple human truths that are known: he had responsibilities and connections — a family that included four children — and his passing left a void for them and for those who knew him.

This page honors Chrystian’s personhood rather than the circumstances of his death. Though public records and news coverage focus on the event that ended his life, those who knew him first knew him as a father and neighbor. May his children and family find support and lasting memories of the life he led together.