Tony Hicks, a convicted murderer whose life became a powerful example of redemption and forgiveness, died suddenly last week, according to the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. Hicks was 14 years old and a gang member in 1995 when he shot and killed 20-year-old San Diego State University student Tariq Kh amisa in North Park. In the decades that followed, Hicks developed a close friendship with Khamisa’s family and dedicated his life to helping young people avoid the mistakes he made. Retired Superior Court Judge Joan Weber, who sentenced Hicks to 25 years to life in prison, said she was devastated by the news of his death. “He was a very humble man. He had a smile that could light up a room,” Judge Weber said. Weber also said learning of Hicks’ death stunned her. “And I just started sobbing uncontrollably. It was a devastating shock,” she said. Weber said Hicks’ transformation after his conviction was extraordinary. “This was a kid, an eighth-grade kid,” she said. During Hicks’ years in prison, Tariq Khamisa’s father, Azim Khamisa, chose to forgive Hicks. Khamisa later befriended Hicks’ grandfather, Ples Felix, and together they founded the Tariq Khamisa Foundation to promote safer schools and communities. In a 2018 interview with NBC San Diego, Khamisa explained his motivation. “What I can do is to make sure other young people don’t end up dead like my son or end up in prison like him,” Azim Khamisa said. Weber said the relationship between the families remains one of the most remarkable examples of forgiveness she has witnessed. “To this day, I still find it the most exceptional showing of forgiveness,” Weber said. Weber and Khamisa both supported Hicks when he became eligible for parole in 2018. After his release, Hicks devoted his life to speaking with young people and working to prevent violence, reaching thousands of children with his message. Bishop Cornelius Bowser of Charity Apostolic Church said Hicks was committed to making a difference. “He was really in a place where he wanted to help him make a difference,” he said. Bowser said he and Hicks shared similar backgrounds and the same mission of serving the community. “That’s my whole work, is trying to keep our community safe,” said Bishop Bowser. “I’m saddened to hear what happened. It really shocked me. It took me, it knocked me off balance.” Bowser said the friendship between Hicks and the Khamisa family reflected genuine forgiveness. “You have to have love in your heart if you’re going to forgive, right? And to see something like that happen, you know that that person had really genuine love in their heart,” he said. Weber said Hicks left a lasting mark on the community. “He meant so much to me in my community, and I had such respect for what he did as a person,” said the retired judge through tears. “That is the impact Tony Hicks had in our community, and it will be sorely missed.” The Tariq Khamisa Foundation has said Hicks’ death was sudden. As of publication of this story, no information has been released about the cause of his death. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less