Jacob Faust(1980-2005)
- Writer
- Composer
- Actor
Jacob grew up in the San Diego area. He was very quiet as a child, but
had a constant twinkle in his eyes and a blinding smile. He always
loved a good practical joke, and had a magical sense of humor. Jake
spent his high school years playing guitar in a worship band at Horizon
Christian Fellowship and also spent that time counseling kids for Youth
Development International, a suicide prevention hot line. He was given
the Phillip Award for discipleship at Horizon High School where he
graduated in 1998. Jake loved people and always looked at the world
through eyes of wonder and astonishment. He had the heart of a poet and
the eyes of a seer.
Jacob's passion was music, and he could play any instrument he picked up. His most cherished possession was a 1903 pump organ on which he composed many pieces. He would put it in the back of his van and haul it to any place someone would allow him an audience. He loved a wide variety of music, with favorites including Django Reinhardt and Tom Waits. He also loved to dance and could move as gracefully or as comically as he chose to at any given moment.
He was a former funeral director at Glen Abbey Mortuary, where he was well known and served people with a heart of compassion. Jacob was a gentle man, an amazingly talented dancer, writer, and actor with an incredibly sweet disposition and a smile always ready. He was well read and followed current events with a keen interest.
On April 4, 2005, Jacob Faust was shot to death by San Diego Police Officer Keaton ID 4495 and Officer Holliday ID 5030 after a "routine" traffic stop for apparent unwillingness to get out of his van. He was 25. Jake had previously witnessed and been exposed to harassment and abuse by the San Diego Police Department and had filed a complaint against them just a few weeks before. The Internal Affairs division had been investigating this in the weeks prior to his murder. Jacob was a pacifist. He had no criminal history.
A wrongful death suit was filed against the City of San Diego, which was settled out of court 4 years later, unanimously approved by the San Diego City Council and awarding the family $325,000. The family's decision to settle was largely based on San Diego's long, extremely conservative, pro-police history, the fact that the city would immediately appeal any large judgment made against them, dragging the costly litigation on for years, and that it was not possible to affect police policy change through a civil lawsuit.
Jacob's passion was music, and he could play any instrument he picked up. His most cherished possession was a 1903 pump organ on which he composed many pieces. He would put it in the back of his van and haul it to any place someone would allow him an audience. He loved a wide variety of music, with favorites including Django Reinhardt and Tom Waits. He also loved to dance and could move as gracefully or as comically as he chose to at any given moment.
He was a former funeral director at Glen Abbey Mortuary, where he was well known and served people with a heart of compassion. Jacob was a gentle man, an amazingly talented dancer, writer, and actor with an incredibly sweet disposition and a smile always ready. He was well read and followed current events with a keen interest.
On April 4, 2005, Jacob Faust was shot to death by San Diego Police Officer Keaton ID 4495 and Officer Holliday ID 5030 after a "routine" traffic stop for apparent unwillingness to get out of his van. He was 25. Jake had previously witnessed and been exposed to harassment and abuse by the San Diego Police Department and had filed a complaint against them just a few weeks before. The Internal Affairs division had been investigating this in the weeks prior to his murder. Jacob was a pacifist. He had no criminal history.
A wrongful death suit was filed against the City of San Diego, which was settled out of court 4 years later, unanimously approved by the San Diego City Council and awarding the family $325,000. The family's decision to settle was largely based on San Diego's long, extremely conservative, pro-police history, the fact that the city would immediately appeal any large judgment made against them, dragging the costly litigation on for years, and that it was not possible to affect police policy change through a civil lawsuit.
