A dirt bike rider opened fire on a car in East Oakland yesterday, wounding a passenger and sending police and paramedics rushing into the neighborhood, where residents watched a chaotic scene unfold as officers taped off the street and hunted for clues.
The shooting happened about 7:47 PM in the 1400 block of 66th Avenue. The car, which was carrying three men, was hit by gunfire, and the front-seat passenger, a 26-year-old Oakland resident, suffered a neck wound and was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, according to The Mercury News. Police said the driver managed to keep going for several blocks after the shots were fired, crashing into parked cars before stopping in the 2100 block of 66th Avenue.
How investigators say it unfolded
According to statements given to investigators, the shooter was riding a dirt bike and, as one account described it, “fired several shots at the vehicle” while a group of dirt-bike riders surrounded the car, The Mercury News reported. Detectives said they recovered numerous shell casings at the scene and that the city’s gunshot-detection system recorded the gunfire. Police have not released a detailed description of the rider or the bike.
Dirt-bike packs and enforcement
Packs of riders on dirt bikes tearing through city streets have repeatedly drawn police attention across the East Bay, sometimes ending in stops and arrests after dangerous pursuits. Hoodline coverage of a previous chase from Oakland to San Francisco described how officers had to use both air support and coordinated ground units once riders refused to pull over, according to reckless dirt-bike riders arrested.
How to help investigators
Oakland police are asking anyone with video or information about the shooting to contact the department’s Felony Assault Unit at (510) 238-3426 or to e-mail photos and footage to [email protected], per the Oakland Police Department’s public resources. Detectives say that even brief clips with clear timestamps can help them identify suspects and piece together the exact sequence of events…