Following a coordinated effort by local law enforcement, two suspects connected to the October 12th shooting in Berkeley have been taken into custody and charged. The Berkeley Police Department, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department – Airport Division, apprehended 44-year-old Ernest Portlock and 41-year-old Lanika Connors after License Plate Reader cameras and witness testimonies linked them to the crime scene on the 1000 block of Addison St.
In the incident, shots were fired into a residence, which police believe stemmed from a prior dispute. According to official reports from the Berkeley Police Department, Portlock was identified as the shooter and fled the area in a white Honda SUV, driven by Connors. The vehicle registration led to the identification of Connors as the owner, and subsequent investigations pinpointed Portlock's location outside the country. His arrest occurred last Friday as he returned to SFO.
Connors was apprehended in Berkeley on Monday, again informed by the vigilant eye of ALPR technology. The charges levied against the suspects are severe, with Portlock facing multiple felonies, including shooting at an occupied dwelling, negligent discharge of a firearm, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, among others. Connors has been charged as an accessory and with negligent discharge of a firearm. They are both being held in Alameda County custody, as stated by the Berkeley Police Department's announcement.
