Oakland's November 'First Fridays' event canceled in wake of violence

OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) - Event organizers for Oakland's First Fridays, a popular festival held every month in Oakland, reported on Thursday the next scheduled event on Nov. 2 has been canceled.

Organizers said in a statement the driving reason for the cancellation was a shooting that injured five people in the early morning hours of Oct. 6.

The shooting occurred about three hours after an Oakland First Fridays event.

"Gun violence is an Oakland problem, it's an American problem, and it's a problem we all have a stake in fixing," organizers said in a statement.

The monthly event features art, performances and food and draws thousands of people to Telegraph Avenue and the surrounding areas.

Organizers said they plan on holding the event again in December and plan to conduct a "top-to-bottom" review of the event's security, policies and procedures in an effort to increase safety and address other issues.