Oregon white oak planted to honor teen killed in Bush Park shooting
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A carpet of oak leaves crunched underfoot as José Vázquez Valenzuela’s cousins filed toward a sapling freshly planted on the south edge of Bush’s Pasture Park.
One by one, they shoveled dirt off a nearby tarp, taking care to spread it around the trunk of the young Oregon white oak in front of them. It will grow near the spot their 16-year-old relative was gunned down one year ago.
The tree is a lasting tribute for the family after the March 7, 2024, shooting that shocked the Salem community, leaving José dead, two other teens wounded and a classmate from South Salem High School in custody facing murder accusations.
The shooting accelerated public discussion about youth violence, school security and gang culture in Salem. Aida Valenzuela, José’s mother, said she hopes her willingness to speak about her son’s life and death help “wake people up” to the realities Salem faces.
José’s family and friends gathered for the small memorial Friday alongside city parks maintenance workers, who helped ring the oak with compost and dirt. Aida is the youngest of nine children and said her son was the
It’s intended to replace the crosses the family has put in the park over the past year, a compromise intended to ensure José has a lasting legacy there without building a structure that goes against city codes, said Amy Jucutan, park maintenance operator.
On Friday, a welded black cross made by coworkers of Jose’s father, Alvaro, stood about 10 feet from the tree, surrounded by flowers. Alvaro put it there in January, using concrete and a base dug deep into the ground to secure it
The family will remove the cross Sunday. Aida said they’re working with the city in hopes of getting a bench with a lasting memorial plaque commemorating their son.
Jucutan said despite concerns from some neighbors about a memorial attracting vandalism, that hasn’t been an issue. She said she’s supportive of a more permanent tribute and would advocate for it.
“Let’s let them grieve in peace,” she said.
José’s parents and two older brothers wore black hoodies with a tribute to José on the front and a collage of photos on the back. Many of his cousins sported shirts or hoodies with the same design.
His oldest brother, Daniel, played a video of a younger José dancing, seemingly carefree, bent over and waving his arms wildly.
“He was a really funny guy,” Daniel said. José watched Daniel’s son, now 5, regularly.
The boy is just starting to play soccer and attending Four Corners Elementary School, where José went. Daniel said he hoped his son can carry José’s legacy in soccer, where he was given #10 — a jersey often reserved for influential and talented players.
He said he’s glad the tree will grow where his brother couldn’t.
“It kind of symbolizes my brother leaving something behind,” he said.
José’s other brother, also named Alvaro, spent a full day making a playlist for the memorial, painstakingly listening and deleting selections that didn’t feel quite right. Corridos and music playing tribute to departed relatives played over his portable speaker.
As the first shovelfuls of dirt surrounded the tree, Aida bent over, sobbing. She dropped compost by hand around the base of the tree, then asked everyone for a moment of silence as about two dozen relatives surrounded her son’s tree.
“This is a tree that will usually last for 100 years,” Aida said.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
