Suspect arrested after shooting near Oakland's Lake Merritt

OAKLAND, Calif. - There is a sense of relief at Oakland's Lake Merritt after police arrested a man who was suspected of shooting someone. Oakland police are investigating the shooting that left one man wounded on Monday. 

According to police, the shooting was reported around 1:45 p.m. in the 600 block of Bellevue Avenue. The suspect was taken into custody around 5 p.m. 

When officers responded to the area they located a male victim. The victim had multiple gunshot wounds to the neck or upper body, according to Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.

He was taken to Highland Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

"This has been the second incident that we've responded to in the last couple of days. We believe there is some possible connection between yesterday's event here at the lake," Armstrong said.

Officers secured the area around Lake Merritt to search for the suspect. Children's Fairyland – a popular play area – was evacuated. 

The police chief said the victim was not the intended target. Armstrong said the suspect had been arguing with someone, and then he pulled out a gun. The suspect started shooting, and the victim was struck several times.

Armstrong also said that one day earlier police received a call that someone brandished a firearm at someone around the lake area. Armstrong said there was a pretty clear description of what the person looked like. Armstrong said police responded to the situation, but the subject got away. On Monday the call was similar, but there was an actual shooting. 

"We know there was some conversation between this individual and other people who were around the lake. We still don't have any clear understanding of why," said Armstrong. 

Authorities have not determined whether those two incidents are related.

KTVU spoke to a person who said they know the person who was arrested. The man said the suspect is homeless, has been in the area for the past two to three months and describes them as being violent. 

"People I know…they're scared of him," said Gary Holman, the man who knows the suspect. He admitted to being a "little bit" scared of the suspect himself. Holman lives in a tent along Lake Merritt. He said he was away at the time of the shooting and that when he returned, the suspect was in his tent. Holman was detained as a result, but maintains he had nothing to do with the shooting. 

"It kind of like, surprised me really. It's broad daylight. [There] are kids out. There's people walking," said Gernyia Collins of Vallejo. She said she brings her daughter out to the Lake to visit two to three times a week. She said the violence is concerning. 

"I could have been here. It could have been anybody getting shot, you know? I got my baby, my nephew…" Collins said. 

The gunshot victim has since undergone surgery. Police have not released the identity of the gunman. 

KTVU's Amber Lee contributed to this story.