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San Jose: Victim in fatal shooting was SJSU grad, aspired to be lawyer
Albert Cobarrubias was not ashamed of the East Side neighborhood where he grew up. In fact, the recent San Jose State University graduate with a justice studies degree aspired to attend law school to better fight social injustices in his community.
Saturday night, Cobarrubias was shot to death while playing pool in an open garage in the neighborhood where he was raised.
"Albert grew up in an area that was not the richest and not the safest," said Sang Kil, one of Cobarrubias' professors at San Jose State. "Instead of distancing himself, he embraced it and was going to help. That's what is beautiful about Albert."
San Jose police have remained tight-lipped about the investigation, but on Monday, they identified Cobarrubias, 31, as the victim. Family members and friends say Cobarrubias had no gang ties and they believe he was the victim of a random act of violence.
Contrary to other media reports, Cobarrubias was not related to former San Jose Police Chief Lou Cobarruviaz, his uncle said this morning.
"He grew up on the East Side and had two paths to choose from: the right path or the gang life," his uncle, Mitch Cobarrubias, said. "He chose the right path and got his education. His mission and goal in life was to become a lawyer, and he was on that path."
Cobarrubias worked full time at a South Bay paint store while putting himself through San Jose State, his uncle said.
The aspiring attorney also volunteered at
the criminal justice clinic at Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community watchdog group, and he soon became the go-to legal researcher, according to Raj Jayadev, the organization's director.
Cobarrubias landed an internship at Silicon Valley De-Bug after receiving a hearty endorsement from Kil, whom he first met while taking a class at San Jose State called Social Inequality and the Law. Cobarrubias wowed his professor by writing a research paper that deftly wove his personal experiences of racial profiling by police with academic research, Kil said. He titled his paper "Racial Profiling: the Interconnecting Events of Race, Masculinity and Class," which Kil still uses as a model "on how to do research right."
According to San Jose police, officers responded to a report of shots fired about 11 p.m. at a home in the 2700 block of Chopin Avenue in a neighborhood south of Eastridge mall. Near the garage, they found a man with a gunshot wound, San Jose police spokesman Ronnie Lopez said.
Mitch Cobarrubias said his nephew was shooting pool with a few friends when a strange car stopped in front of the home. Someone got out of the passenger side of the car, began walking up the driveway and started shooting.
"It's just a random act of violence," Mitch Cobarrubias said. "Albert was not into gangs. He was educated. It was a case of mistaken identity."
In response to the homicide and other recent gang-related violence, Pastor Sonny Lara, a longtime gang prevention activist in San Jose, will be holding a prayer vigil at 7 tonight outside San Jose City Hall.
Anyone with information on the homicide may contact detective Sgts. Tony Mata or Dave Gutierrez of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP (7867).
Albert Cobarrubias was not ashamed of the East Side neighborhood where he grew up. In fact, the recent San Jose State University graduate with a justice studies degree aspired to attend law school to better fight social injustices in his community.
Saturday night, Cobarrubias was shot to death while playing pool in an open garage in the neighborhood where he was raised.
"Albert grew up in an area that was not the richest and not the safest," said Sang Kil, one of Cobarrubias' professors at San Jose State. "Instead of distancing himself, he embraced it and was going to help. That's what is beautiful about Albert."
San Jose police have remained tight-lipped about the investigation, but on Monday, they identified Cobarrubias, 31, as the victim. Family members and friends say Cobarrubias had no gang ties and they believe he was the victim of a random act of violence.
Contrary to other media reports, Cobarrubias was not related to former San Jose Police Chief Lou Cobarruviaz, his uncle said this morning.
"He grew up on the East Side and had two paths to choose from: the right path or the gang life," his uncle, Mitch Cobarrubias, said. "He chose the right path and got his education. His mission and goal in life was to become a lawyer, and he was on that path."
Cobarrubias worked full time at a South Bay paint store while putting himself through San Jose State, his uncle said.
The aspiring attorney also volunteered at
the criminal justice clinic at Silicon Valley De-Bug, a community watchdog group, and he soon became the go-to legal researcher, according to Raj Jayadev, the organization's director.
Cobarrubias landed an internship at Silicon Valley De-Bug after receiving a hearty endorsement from Kil, whom he first met while taking a class at San Jose State called Social Inequality and the Law. Cobarrubias wowed his professor by writing a research paper that deftly wove his personal experiences of racial profiling by police with academic research, Kil said. He titled his paper "Racial Profiling: the Interconnecting Events of Race, Masculinity and Class," which Kil still uses as a model "on how to do research right."
According to San Jose police, officers responded to a report of shots fired about 11 p.m. at a home in the 2700 block of Chopin Avenue in a neighborhood south of Eastridge mall. Near the garage, they found a man with a gunshot wound, San Jose police spokesman Ronnie Lopez said.
Mitch Cobarrubias said his nephew was shooting pool with a few friends when a strange car stopped in front of the home. Someone got out of the passenger side of the car, began walking up the driveway and started shooting.
"It's just a random act of violence," Mitch Cobarrubias said. "Albert was not into gangs. He was educated. It was a case of mistaken identity."
In response to the homicide and other recent gang-related violence, Pastor Sonny Lara, a longtime gang prevention activist in San Jose, will be holding a prayer vigil at 7 tonight outside San Jose City Hall.
Anyone with information on the homicide may contact detective Sgts. Tony Mata or Dave Gutierrez of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283. Those wishing to remain anonymous may contact Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP (7867).
