Several people were injured in a shooting that occurred during “illegal vehicle and motorcycle entertainment” at an Independence Day celebration in Oakland, police said.
According to Oakland police, the riots began around 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday and involved “approximately 5,000 people.” [were] We will be attending events in and around Lake Merritt.”
“The crowd was peaceful until approximately 8:15 p.m., when illegal sideshows involving vehicles and motorcycles occurred near Grand and Bellevue avenues,” police said in a statement. “A short time later, a fight broke out and as members of the crowd headed toward the scene of the fight, multiple shots were fired. Officers found several victims with gunshot wounds.”
Police said there are no reports of fatalities at this time and the exact number of people shot are still being investigated.
Victim of June 19 Texas shooting identified
A person is loaded into an ambulance following a shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, on Wednesday night. (KTVU)
“No arrests have been made in connection to this shooting,” Oakland police added, “and it is unclear at this time whether there was a single shooter or multiple shooters.”
Investigators also said that after the shooting, “officers attempted to direct the crowd to safety” but “during that attempt, some members of the crowd punched and pushed officers, resulting in minor injuries.”
Florida family pulls teen from California college after losing thousands in carjacking
Oakland police say the event where the shooting occurred on Wednesday, June 19, was not sanctioned. (KTVU)
One person was reportedly detained on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
“Juneteenth symbolizes the moment when enslaved black Americans deep inside Confederate territory finally learned their freedom, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation,” Oakland Mayor Shen Tao said in a statement on Tuesday.
Police responded to the scene of multiple people being shot in Oakland, California, on Wednesday night. (KTVU)
Click here to get the FOX News app
“I am proud of Oakland’s long history of fighting for Black liberation, and we will keep fighting until everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, has a fair chance to live a happy, healthy life,” she added. “Today, let us reflect on the dark history of slavery and racism in our country, celebrate the gains that have been made, and recommit ourselves to true liberation.”
