By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer
The family of an unarmed Black man killed by Sacramento police in 2018 is once again picking up the pieces, this time after vandals hit a safe space they created in his honor.
Stephon’s House, named for Stephon Clark, was burglarized in or around the early hours of Aug. 7.
Clark’s family said the space, located at 5940 Rosebud Lane, has been untouched since its inception in 2021.
“The building sustained a great deal of physical damages,” said activist Stevante Clark.
The vandals stole property from inside valued at thousands of dollars, Clark said, which has devastated his family.
In an unexpected twist, stolen game systems have been anonymously returned. The systems were dropped off outside the building in a black garbage bag with an unsigned apology letter.
“I have returned everything I have taken,” reads the note shared with The OBSERVER by Stevante Clark. “I was raised better and plan to do better.”
The shooting death of unarmed father Stephon Clark, 22, made national headlines and sparked protests across the country. He was killed in his grandmother’s backyard after two officers chased him there and mistook his cellphone for a gun. Stephon’s House was created to help families with similar experiences, as well as the wider community.
“This resource center has provided hundreds of families with a safe place to gather resources on housing, building a business, education, mutual aid, food, clothing and shelter,” Stephon’s brother Stevante Clark said. “This center is often a place where community members from all walks can commence in the name of solidarity and community building. With Stephon’s birthday being just a few days away on August 10, we are saddened to discover the destruction of the building that we’ve worked so hard to create.”The Clark family took to social media to implore the community for help in returning the stolen items. They’ve also started a donation effort to help repair damages. For more information, visit theiamsacfoundation.com.