Several people are injured following a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California on Wednesday night, police say.
At around 8:45 p.m., after a fight broke out, the shooting occurred, according to Oakland Police.
“We were all celebrating, there were sideshows, couple of fights that were going on – next thing we know, we all thought we heard fireworks, so we ran from the direction,” witness Tamia Robinson told local news outlet ABC7 News.
The celebrations, which had about 5,000 people in attendance, were “peaceful until around 8:15 p.m. when an illegal sideshow involving vehicles and motorbikes occurred…” states a press release from the police department.
“The events were not sanctioned gatherings,” it adds.
A fight occurred, and, as crowds began to gather, multiple shots were fired, according to the release.
Medical personnel took several victims to hospitals, but others were taken in private vehicles. The exact number of victims is still under investigation, said police.
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Officers injured while trying to control crowd, investigation ongoing
Multiple officers received minor injuries as they were trying to guide the crowds to a safe location. They were punched and pushed, states the release.
There is ongoing investigation and police are asking anyone with information to call the OPD Felony Assault Unit and to email cidvideos@oaklandca.gov any photos or videos that could help the investigation.
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz
