During welfare check, Oakland police find woman who'd been fatally shot

Neighbors shocked police found Oakland woman shot dead in her home

A 59-year-old woman is a victim of a homicide. She was found shot dead inside her home in Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood during a welfare check by police after she was not seen for days.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police are investigating a shooting that killed one woman at home in the city's San Antonio neighborhood, authorities said.

After being asked to conduct a welfare check on Thursday afternoon for a woman at her home on the 1500 block of 23rd Avenue, officers asked firefighters to break down her door.

KTVU has learned that the 59-year-old woman was found sitting on a sofa and that several shell casings were found nearby. Her name was withheld pending notification of her family.

Oakland police were back in the neighborhood on Friday, canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance video.

Neighbors said the victim had lived in the attic of the building for several years.

"We found out that she was dead and somebody - and it was some kind of foul play," said Megan Tolva. "It's insane, because she was a really sweet lady. She had no enemies or anything like that. It's crazy that this happened to her."

Tolva said the victim had recently gotten a job at a nearby Goodwill and that she had reunited in New York with her daughter, whom she had given up for adoption.

Edie Asbury said she called police on Thursday.

"A few days ago, I walked up, I knocked on her door because I hadn't heard her moving furniture," Asbury said.

"No, I didn't hear any gunshots. I mean, we hear gunshots around here, I know what they sound like," she said.

Councilmember Noel Gallo, who represents the neighborhood said, "Hearing about this woman dying in her room, being shot, it's really sad."

Gallo added, "We just need to be more careful, take care of each other, take care of our family, because the bottom line is the deaths and activity I see on these streets, the videos and pictures I have, we're out of control."

This is an ongoing investigation, anyone with information can contact the Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821 or the TIP LINE at (510) 238-7950.

Henry Lee is a KTVU reporter. Contact him at henry.lee@fox.com and on Twitter at @henrykleeKTVU.