Oakland driver killed in daylight shooting near Lake Merritt

6 May 2024

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OAKLAND — A man was fatally shot Sunday while driving near Lake Merritt and crashed his vehicle into a nearby motel parking lot, creating a public crime scene but no immediate clarity on why he was attacked, authorities said.

The driver was traveling east on Lake Merritt Boulevard past 12th Street — near the René C. Davidson Courthouse — around 11:55 a.m. when he was shot by an unknown assailant, according to Oakland police.

Wounded, the man continued driving his Honda Odyssey minivan for about a half-mile and crashed through a fence of an Americas Best Value Inn motel, a half-block south of Lake Merritt Boulevard and East 12th Street. The vehicle hit two parked cars in the motel’s lot before coming to a stop.

The driver, who was the sole occupant of the minivan, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been publicly released pending his formal identification and notification of his next of kin by the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau.

The aftermath of the crash was visible from the sidewalk of the motel, showing twisted metal from the fence — including a portion lodged in the front of the minivan — and assorted car debris scattered across the asphalt while a yellow tarp was draped over the passenger side. Police officers could also be seen recovering shell casings from the shooting site a few dozen feet away.

Police have not disclosed a motive or the circumstances that led to the shooting, nor have they released any suspect description. They have confirmed that the victim was shot from the outside of his vehicle, but it was not immediately clear whether the gunfire came from another vehicle or another vantage point such as the sidewalk or roadway.

No other injuries have been reported in connection with the Sunday shooting, which marked the 28th homicide of the year Oakland police have investigated. The department had investigated 34 homicides at the same point in 2023.

Anyone with information for OPD investigators can call 510-238-3821, leave a tip at 510-238-7950, or contact Crime Stoppers of Oakland at 510-777-8572.