Matt Garcia, Councilman shot - Fairfield stunned

Councilman shot - Fairfield stunned
One of the youngest elected officials in the state, Matt Garcia wanted to make his city a better place - now he's near death, and the police want to know why
Demian Bulwa,Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writers

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
(09-02) 21:34 PDT Fairfield -- Friends say Matt Garcia had a trait rarely seen in young people: extreme civic pride. He began telling people when he was in the sixth grade that he was going to become the mayor of his hometown of Fairfield.

When he was critically wounded Monday night outside a friend's house in a quiet Fairfield neighborhood, Garcia was well on his way to fulfilling his dream. At just 22, he had emerged from modest roots to become a popular city councilman and one of the youngest elected officials in the state.

"Most kids in Fairfield couldn't give a damn about this city, but Matt loved Fairfield," said his friend Ryan Kelly, 22. "I don't know what it was, but he thought this was our place, and he was going to make it better no matter what."

As Kelly stood near a growing memorial for Garcia outside Fairfield's City Hall on Tuesday, he said, "I admired him. It's a damn shame."

Garcia was declared brain-dead Tuesday morning at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he had been airlifted after he was shot once in the back of the head. He remained on life-support late Tuesday, and his parents planned to pay him a final visit at the hospital this morning, said family spokesman Ronald Marlette.

In keeping with Garcia's wishes, his organs will be donated, Marlette said.

Police said they had no suspects in the shooting and no idea why anyone would want to kill Garcia.

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