A Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, turned violent on Wednesday night when a shooting broke out, leaving multiple people injured.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident occurred around 8:45 p.m. at an unsanctioned gathering of approximately 5,000 people, according to the Oakland Police Department, The celebrations had been peaceful until around 8:15 p.m., when an illegal sideshow involving vehicles and motorbikes erupted, followed by a fight.
As crowds gathered to watch the altercation, multiple shots were fired, sending people running for cover. Medical personnel rushed to the scene and transported several victims to nearby hospitals, while others were taken away in private vehicles.
Witness Tamia Robinson described the chaotic scene to ABC7 News, saying, “We were all celebrating, there were sideshows, a couple of fights that were going on – next thing we know, we all thought we heard fireworks, so we ran from the direction.”
The exact number of victims could not be ascertained at the time of writing this report, but authorities confirm that multiple people were injured in the shooting. The police department has urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
