Oakland city leaders hold first of several public safety meetings amid ongoing violence

Oakland - Oakland residents are invited to attend the first of several public safety meetings tonight. The meetings are hosted by Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, who, along with other city leaders, will discuss crime and safety.

The meeting follows another violent night in Oakland, where several people were struck by gunfire, and two people were killed. 

The first deadly shooting occurred around 7 p.m. outside the Parker Elementary School campus, which now serves as an adult school. Police responded to the scene after the ShotSpotter system detected more than two dozen gunshots. A man was found dead outside the school. Authorities have yet to release any information regarding possible suspects. Police say at least two other people who may have been connected to the shooting, drove themselves to Highland Hospital.

A few hours later, before midnight, a woman at a store on 9200 MacArthur Boulevard called police after a man was shot outside the store. Video from the Citizen app shows a large crowd gathering as police arrive. The man was seriously injured, but there is no update on his condition, and no information on any arrests.

This violence comes as city leaders prepare to address crime and their strategies to combat it at a series of five community meetings scheduled over the next week.

The first meeting is tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Beth Eden Baptist Church. Mayor Thao, Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell, the city administrator, the fire chief, and the head of the Department of Violence Prevention will be in attendance to discuss the latest strategies to fight crime.

The event is free, but attendees are asked to RSVP online.