3-year-old boy may have accidentally been shot by relative, Oakland police chief says
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said in a news conference on Tuesday that the child who was shot on Monday was a three-year-old boy who had been in a vehicle with family members at the time.
The chief said that were it not for officers immediately transporting the child to the hospital in their cruiser, medical staff said he would not have survived.
The child remains in critical but stable condition after severe damage to his torso, police said. The boy was shot shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of 26th Avenue in East Oakland.
Police have opened an investigation, but the chief said that it is "possible" that a relative was involved in the shooting. He said that investigators are looking at the ownership of the firearm that was used and seeing if that matches any of the relatives that were in the vehicle at the time.
"I don't believe that a family member intentionally fired a gun and injured that child," said Chief Armstrong, adding that it would be good for the person to come forward, saying it would be the "compassionate" thing to do, considering the suffering that the child is undergoing.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to please call the Oakland police felony assault unit at (510) 238-3426.
OPD says 5 injured by gunfire at Coliseum fireworks show
Police on Tuesday gave an update of the gunfire and violence from over the 4th of July holiday weekend. They are investigating three homicides and shootings including that of a three-year-old and five people who were injured at the post-A's game fireworks show at the Coliseum. Police say the gunfire is not believed to have originated from the stadium.