Gun violence has plagued Oakland over the weekend. According to police, four people were killed after two separate shootings, including a bicyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run. The number of lives lost in Oakland raises to 82 this year.
A moment of silence was held at an event at Oakland City Hall. The “Stop the Violence” event honors the victims from this weekend in West Oakland.
“First of all, it’s heartbreaking. Any loss of life should be honored by all people living,” said anti-violence advocate John Jones.
On Friday night, a shooting in west Oakland left three people dead. After the incident, a vehicle fled from the scene and hit a bicyclist.
On Saturday morning, Oakland Police responded to 600 Block of Sycamore Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim died on the scene.
“We know there was an initial shooting, then a second shooting. After the second shooting, a vehicle fled from the scene. That car appears to have struck the bicyclist,” said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.
Armstrong says the motive for the shootings is still unknown.
“Unfortunately, another senseless act of violence in our city, so tragic to lose three people,” he said.
The event was organized by BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency), with advocates saying less talk, more action are needed to help stop the violence.
“I think it’s time for us to lose the rhetoric and be focused on direct action that’s needed to address what’s happening in our communities now,” Jones said.
The group is calling for more resources and outreach for inner-city neighborhoods.
“People are starving, food hungry, job hungry. It’s about prevention,” said Satia Frazier-North from BOSS Bay Area.
“The first step is reconstituting community. I define that as common unity,” Jones said.
Police say both shootings are under investigation and appear to be unrelated.
