Fifteen people were shot during an event Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, police reported Thursday.
The violence broke out Wednesday night during an event at Lake Merritt, which was attended by up to 5,000 people and had remained calm until a parallel event involving “motorcycles and vehicles” began around 8:15 p.m. the north side of the lake.
A fight broke out on the street near the side event, and a crowd gathered in the area, according to police. At least one person was arrested for assaulting a police officer.
Another person was injured during an attack that occurred when some of the people walked on the hood of one of the vehicles participating in the side event, causing the occupants of the car to get out and attack them, the chief of the Police Department said. Oakland, Floyd Mitchell, at a press conference.
There are currently no suspects in custody in connection with the shooting, Mitchell said.
Investigators found more than 50 shell casings at the scene of the shooting.
At least one of the people shot is in critical condition. The ages of the victims range from 20 to 30 years old.
Paul Chambers, the police department’s director of strategic communications, previously said several people attacked police officers as officers tried to get the crowd to safety.
The huge police deployment included up to twenty vehicles and several ambulances at the scene, according to KTVU-TV. Police said 28 officers and four sergeants showed up to supervise the event.
The channel indicated that several participants in the celebration had been seen arguing with the police, with some criticizing the police response to the event, stating that they had not responded quickly enough when several people were injured.
Police said an investigation into the incident continues.
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