In light of IV: “People will look at this park differently.”

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Garden organizers at the memorial dedication last Saturday, one week before the one year anniversary. Photo: Kim Yasuda (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

In light of the one year anniversary of the tragedy in Isla Vista, our 5-part series captures a pulse of the community one year later. 

On May 23rd, 2014, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger went on a rampage, stabbing three people to death before shooting and killing three more, injuring fourteen and taking his own life.

We’re starting our series where the tragedy itself began, in IV. Near the newly planted memorial garden in People’s Park, residents take inventory on how that day lives on in both their minds and everyday lives.

“What would really prevent those things from happening again? There’s nothing we can do to ensure that, and that’s the scary part.”

– Linda Quanq, UCSB student

“People will look at this park differently. They will definitely appreciate it more.”

– Jay Scheidemen, groundsperson

“I’m feeling fine, which I don’t think is okay. It shouldn’t be like that. I feel like we should have time to grieve.”

– André Theus, UCSB student

“It’s going to happen anywhere. It just happened to be here.”

– Lawrence Suhr, self described vagabond

Each bench in the memorial garden represents a student lost last May. Photo: Kim Yasuda
Each bench in the memorial garden represents a student lost last May. Photo: Kim Yasuda (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)
George Chen’s bench. Photo: IV Recreation and Parks District

Stay tuned to KCRW on 88.7 fm mornings and afternoons as our series continues. Or follow the series here. 

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, we inaccurately wrote that Elliot Rodger was a UCSB student. He never attended UCSB. We apologize for the mistake.