A long-simmering East Oakland turf war has finally led to a murder charge in a 2021 killing on Foothill Boulevard, as prosecutors say they have tied a suspected Funktown associate to the shooting that claimed the life of 24-year-old Bert Brigham III.
According to The Mercury News, Alameda County prosecutors last Wednesday charged Hanif McLeod with murder, assault with a firearm on a surviving victim, and carrying a loaded firearm in public. Court records show he has pleaded not guilty and is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail.
Investigators say the shooting unfolded on July 18, 2021, on the 1900 block of Foothill Boulevard, when three cars rolled up and multiple shooters opened fire. Brigham was critically wounded and died four days later. As reported by KTVU, police in 2025 released still images of suspected shooters and vehicles in a fresh push for leads in the case.
Court filings and investigators' statements say detectives spent years stitching together surveillance footage, witness accounts, ballistics work and cellphone records to zero in on suspects. They also preserved images and video pulled from Instagram posts and rap videos that appeared to show suspected Funktown associates posing with guns. Authorities say they recovered firearms from people believed to be linked to the clique in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Prosecutors identified five people in connection with the attack, but McLeod is the only one charged so far, according to The Mercury News.
The Oakland Police Department issued a Nixle alert in 2025 and publicly renewed its plea for tips, an effort that drew coverage when officers released suspect images and vehicle details. Investigators are still asking anyone with information to contact the department's Homicide Unit, per Hoodline.
Charges and court status
McLeod has pleaded not guilty, and the case remains in its early stages in Alameda County Superior Court. Prosecutors say the file now on the judge's desk reflects years of forensic work and digital sleuthing, from shell casing analysis to social media preservation. Defense motions and other pretrial proceedings are expected to follow the arraignment phase.
What it means for Oakland
Police say the Brigham case shows how surveillance, phones and social media can revive stalled investigations tied to alleged gang conflicts in East Oakland. Even with all that technology, investigators and community members alike stress that old-fashioned tips are still key as prosecutors prepare to take the case to trial.
