San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
1 killed, 3 wounded in shooting around Lake Merritt crowds
One person died and three others were injured in a shooting on Lakeshore Avenue alongside Lake Merritt in Oakland on Saturday evening, police said.
Oakland police received reports of shots fired in the 2200 block of Lakeshore Avenue at 6:22 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Officers responding to the scene found four people who had been shot. One of the victims died at the hospital, police said.
Mayor Libby Schaaf told The Chronicle that police “apprehended two people” with guns near the scene, adding that the investigation into the fatal shooting is ongoing and the investigation “will determine if they are connected to the shooting.”
“Tonight a joyous occasion at our Lake Merritt was marred by a senseless act of gun violence,” Schaaf said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims, and I want to thank our officers for a quick response.”
At the scene Saturday evening at the eastern edge of the lake, police officers had placed markers around what appeared to be roughly 30 bullet casings.
About 1,000 people had been gathered in the area at the time of the shooting, enjoying a day of celebrations for the first federally designated Juneteenth holiday, police said.
Nancy Douyon, 35, lives four blocks away from the shooting and had been celebrating Juneteenth around Lake Merritt since 8 a.m. Saturday.
She told The Chronicle that the shooting is “not an example of what this community is,” referring to Oakland.
“I think some individuals were targeted,” Douyon said. “I still feel like Oakland is a safe
“I think some individuals were targeted. I still feel like Oakland is a safe city. It sounds like a couple of bad apples, and it doesn’t represent Oakland.”
Nancy Douyon, who lives nearby
city. It sounds like a couple of bad apples, and it doesn’t represent Oakland.”
Douyon added that the celebrations around the lake drew Bay Area residents from Vallejo to Hayward, all gathering to commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday that President Biden designated a federal holiday just days ago.
“Everyone had a very chill vibe except for this. It’s unfortunate, and very sad,”
Douyon said. “We shouldn’t let this ruin this day.”