Yesterday, in the Laurel District of Oakland, a 42-year-old mother of two was struck down by a stray bullet while lying on her couch in her own home. Aaccording to East Bay Times, she later succumb to her injuries, marking the 89th homicide investigation for the Oakland Police in 2023.
The incident occurred around 9:40 p.m., near the intersection of 39th Avenue and Masterson Street. Amid a dispute that broke out down the block, multiple gunshots were fired. One of those bullets found its way into the woman's home, piercing through her sanctuary and robbing her family of a wife, and a mother.
Her husband and children were also in the home at the time but were fortunately unharmed, as reported on HeadTopics. The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:15 p.m.
The fatal dispute remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made, yet. Multiple shell casings were, however, recovered from the scene per Henry K. Lee's tweet.
Mother of 2 dies after being hit by stray bullet while sleeping on her couch inside her home near 38th & Masterson in the Laurel District. @oaklandpoliceca investigating. @Janani4Oakland weighs in pic.twitter.com/YaGsEE0JpE
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) September 17, 2023
This heartbreaking incident comes on the heels of a non-injury shooting in the same spot just a day earlier on Thursday evening, adding to the neighborhood's distress over safety, according to East Bay Times. Residents have been voicing their concerns about safety issues to City Hall, but their pleas have seemingly fallen on deaf ears, leaving the community to bear the burden of an escalating crisis by themselves.
An anonymous neighbor, whom out of respect for the family and fear for their own safety, did not wish to be named, stated that "We were all messaging this morning to find each other and figure out which one of us wasn't alive anymore." The neighbor went on to question the leadership's unwillingness to address the escalating violence, wondering if "another shooting" would have to happen before officials would take action.
