Graduation excitement turned into terror at Oakland's Skyline High School last Thursday as gunshots disrupted a commencement ceremony, leaving two people wounded. The East Bay Regional Park District Police Department (EBRPD) reported that several of their units responded immediately to the scene after a call came in at approximately 7:45 p.m. about multiple gunshot victims. A female adult, found with a gunshot to her thigh, received lifesaving first aid from officers who applied a tourniquet before she was rushed to a local hospital.
As panic ensued, witnesses recounted the moment chaos erupted. According to an interview with KTVU via Hoodline, a parent described hearing "two bangs" before realizing the grave situation. “I told my husband, 'I don't think those were fireworks,'" the parent stated. Revelers were sent running for their lives. Their joyous celebration was cut short by the frightening ordeal. A student, Mohamed Sulaiman, despite the day's terrifying events, tried to remain undaunted, telling Hoodline it was a "happy day" due to his graduation accomplishment.
The suspects, believed to be connected with a recent carjacking, were last seen fleeing toward Anthony Chabot Park. After a concerted search by multiple law enforcement agencies, a juvenile suspect was apprehended with a loaded firearm and the keys to the stolen Maserati. Subsequently, two additional juvenile suspects were detained. Further details of the manhunt were chronicled in a post on EBRPD's Facebook page.
The Oakland Police Department (OPD), spearheading the criminal investigation, described the scene at the 12200 block of Skyline Boulevard, where first responders located both gunshot victims. They have requested the public's help piecing together the encounter and have encouraged anyone with information to contact the OPD at (510) 238-3426. The school community, meanwhile, is left to cope with the sorrow of a seminal event scarred by violence, as detailed in Hoodline's report. In a press conference, Lieutenant Robert Trevino from OPD acknowledged that the number of suspects could be greater than those already in custody.
