Pizza delivery driver shot, killed at close range in Oakley

OAKLEY, Calif. - A 24-year-old pizza delivery driver was shot and killed while sitting in his car parked in front of his home in Oakley on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Oakley Police Department. 

Now, police have made Gabriel Stewart's death their top priority and are looking for two suspects: one who was driving the car that pulled up next to him just before 5 p.m. in the 1400 block of Rutherford Lane, and the person who got out and shot him multiple times at close range.

He was on a break, police said, from delivering pizzas at Domino's.

Stewart's mother was inside the house at the time, said Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard.

"She was in the front room getting ready to wrap Christmas gifts and she heard the shots being fired," Beard said. "She took cover, like went to a deeper part of the house, to avoid what was going on outside, and then she later went outside and found her son."

Police have not revealed a possible motive or a description of the suspects. 

"We still don’t know. We don’t have a strong motive on this at all," Beard said. "The way I’m looking at this right now is a truly innocent man was taken from his family."

The police department's investigation unit and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office Crime Lab were called to the scene.

 The chief says the tragedy comes especially hard around the holidays. He says now is not the time to be planning a funeral. 

"This doesn’t belong in Oakley," Beard said. "I personally don’t believe this should go on anywhere. But when you consider the time of the year, it really makes it more heartfelt, and you really feel compassionate toward the victim’s family."

Anyone who may have surveillance footage from that time is asked to contact Det. Dombrouski at 925-325-6670.