A Juneteenth celebration on the shores of Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, on Saturday came to an abrupt halt when seven people were shot and one of the victims later died at the local hospital.
A Juneteenth celebration on the shores of Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, on Saturday came to an abrupt halt when seven people were shot and one of the victims later died at the local hospital.
According to local outlet Fox 2 KTVU, the incident occurred at a celebration held on the 2200 block of Lakeshore Ave just after 6 p.m. on Saturday night. The victims were ages 16 to 27, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Oakland Police were able to spot two men with guns right after the shooting. Authorities pursued and arrested the suspects, confiscating the firearms.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but it appears that an argument had been taking place in the moments leading up to the violence.
The investigation for the case is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers of Oakland or the Oakland Police Police Department.
Mayor Libby Schaaf condemned the shooting, saying that the "joyous occasion at our Lake Merritt was marred by a senseless act of gun violence." Large crowds had spent the day in the area celebrating the now-national holiday Juneteenth.
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