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Family grateful to be alive after being terrorized by gunmen at their San Lorenzo home
A San Lorenzo family is grateful to be alive after gunmen fired dozens of bullets toward them and their home Monday morning. The gunmen tried to steal the family car right out of the driveway, but when they were caught in the act, thats when the gunfire erupted. No one was injured.
SAN LORENZO, Calif. - A San Lorenzo family is grateful to be alive after gunmen fired dozens of bullets toward them and their home Monday morning.
The gunmen tried to steal the family car right out of the driveway but when they were caught in the act, that's when the gunfire erupted.
Fortunately, no one was injured, but a bullet just missed the couple's five-year-old daughter.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office issued a public safety advisory urging people not to confront thieves.
Joey Hocker said he and his family are very lucky to have survived with no physical injuries.
When it happened at around 3:30 a.m., the barrage of gunfire disrupted the quiet residential neighborhood.
Hocker said he walked out to his front steps after receiving an alert from a security camera that showed someone was in his driveway trying to steal his car, a 2019 Dodge sedan that was parked in the driveway.
"I said, ‘Hey! What are you doing?’ I looked down and saw a muzzle flash. They shot at me," Hocker said. He said one bullet flew right by his head and shattered the front glass door. He said two people were firing shots at his car and home repeatedly.
Bullets flew into his home, hitting the large-screen TV in the living room. "I'm a little bit shocked, but more angry. This is my home. This is my safe space," Hocker said.
His safe space violated. One bullet hit the back bedroom, ricocheting off a shoe rack and narrowly missing his daughter who had been sleeping.
"I threw her on the floor. Got her covered with my body and called 911," said Sharlain Hocker, the girl's mother and wife of Joey.
The couple estimated the ordeal lasted two minutes. At one point, he went back outside after he heard the suspect's vehicle drive away only to see it return to pick up the two gunmen who had been hiding behind Hocker's car.
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The couple said investigators found 31 shell casings from military-style weapons.
"It was unreal. It was like a movie. We're just happy to be here. Happy to be alive. Safe," said Mr. Hocker.
The couple wants the suspects caught and held accountable.
Hocker said law enforcement told him they were able to follow the suspect's car long enough to get the plates but that it was stolen from the Sacramento area. However, investigators were not able to stop the car. No arrests were made.
A gofundme has been set up to help with repairs.