DJ Gio remembered at downtown Sacramento gathering for mural dedication
SACRAMENTO — SACRAMENTO - Family, and friends of D.J. Gio gathered at the unveiling of a mural in downtown Sacramento dedicated to him.
Giovanni Pizano, known as D.J. Gio, was ambushed in a robbery after a late-night performance outside his Natomas home.
Now, he's memorialized a block away in a mural downtown.
"We can all have a million ideas of different solutions for how things can do different for a lot of people that are having this experience of gun violence going all around this city," said Melina Gonzalez, one of Gio's four siblings.
Gonzalez said it's "surreal" to see her brother memorialized in a mural instead of being in person with their family.
She says that before his death, she would've never guessed he would be a victim of gun violence. As a result, their family has been thrust into activism to keep others from the same tragedy.
"I'm open to every idea so that less people have to experience this; it's not good, it's not good at all," said Gonzalez.
In July, Greg Najee Grimes was killed just before 2 a.m. in the area of 15th and L street. Sacramento police say people were leaving the Mix nightclub when the shooting happened.
In September, 34-year-old Alfonso Martinez Jr., identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office, was killed outside a Midtown bar. Sacramento Police say the incident started as a fight between two men in Barwest and spilled into the street. One person got a gun from a vehicle and shot and killed one of the men involved in the fight.
Gio's loved ones say that with these events alongside Gio's death, they don't feel Sacramento's nightlife is safe anymore.
"I try to avoid everything that involves being around people that I don't know." said Elizabeth Sanchez, Gio's girlfriend, "I don't think there's been any progress made if I still feel iffy going out at night."
Other friends of Gio, like Jordan Dawson, whose stage name is 'D.J. 2 Raw', said he is conflicted over nightlife safety because of Gio's death but also because it's where and when he works.
"D.J. 2 Raw is gonna go handle business as Gio would want him to. However, the other side of me, the person that Gio knew, I'm not gonna go anywhere unless it's business oriented, which is hard for me to grasp," said Dawson.
Dawson said as a patron, he is scared but knows that without patrons, he would be out of a job DJing in bars and nightclubs.
"In lieu of all of the recent events, I don't feel comfortable outside, but I don't want anyone else to have that type of power over me," said Dawson.
Earlier this week, the City of Sacramento announced a new nighttime Economy Manager position. The role was fast-tracked after multiple deadly shootings but wasn't created because of them directly.
"It begins with the person. I don't know if change can happen in 6 months or a year," said Sanchez.
Gio's family and friends say that while the move is promising, it may not solve all of their fears because the violence happens outside the establishments.
"Something that I learned from Gio when we're done, we're going to the car and going home," said Dawson.
At the celebration of Gio's life on Sunday, his loved ones sold merchandise and candles with plans to put the proceeds towards a nonprofit for music scholarships.