Boy, 8, shot while visiting in apartment

An 8-year- old boy was shot in the leg early Monday as he watched television at a relative’s apartment in East Oakland, authorities said.

The boy was in stable condition at a hospital after undergoing surgery. The two adults in the apartment were not injured.

The shooting happened just after 1 a.m. Monday at an Oakland Housing Authority apartment complex in the 2100 block of 25th Avenue where the boy was visiting a relative, authorities said.

There was some kind of a dispute on the street outside the apartment complex where several shots were fired, said Chief Carel Duplessis of the Housing Authority Police Department, which is heading the investigation.

Some of the bullets went through a door at the apartment with one of them hitting the boy, who was on a sofa, authorities said.

Duplessis said police do not believe anyone inside the apartment were the intended targets and that the boy was hit by a stray bullet.

Some shell casings were found on the street outside, but there were no signs that anyone else had been shot, authorities said.

“My heart goes out to the victim, the victim’s family and the community at large who are contending with firearm-related trauma,” Duplessis said. “T hese senseless shootings cannot continue.”

Up to $7,500 in reward money is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the the shooter. Anyone with information may call Housing Authority Detective Tyler Walstrum at 510- 535—3159 or Crime Stoppers of Oakland are 510-777-8572.