A Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, turned violent when a number of individuals have been shot, police mentioned.
The Lake Merritt occasion on Wednesday night time was largely peaceable, with as many as 5,000 in attendance, till a sideshow involving “motorbikes and vehicles” occurred round 8:15 p.m. on the north facet of the lake, police mentioned in a information launch Thursday.
A combat broke out down the road from the sideshow and a crowd gathered within the space of the combat, police mentioned.
“During that fight multiple shots rang out,” mentioned Paul Chambers, OPD’s strategic communications supervisor.
The taking pictures occurred at 8:45 p.m.
Whereas it was not instantly clear how many individuals have been injured, police mentioned a number of have been struck by gunfire and have been taken to a hospital. There have been no experiences of deaths.
As officers tried to get the gang to security a number of individuals struck OPD officers, Chambers mentioned.
A minimum of one individual was taken into custody for assaulting an officer, he mentioned.
Police didn’t say what number of officers have been attacked.
A big police presence included as many as two dozen police automobiles and a number of ambulances on the scene, KTVU-TV reported.
Police mentioned 28 officers and 4 sergeants have been on the scene to watch the occasion.
Members within the celebration have been seen getting verbal with police with some individuals criticizing police response, saying they didn’t reply shortly sufficient when individuals have been injured, KTVU reported.
In 2021, a taking pictures throughout a Juneteenth celebration at Lake Merritt left a number of individuals injured and a 22-year-old San Francisco man useless.
Police mentioned the investigation of Wednesday night time’s taking pictures was ongoing.
