A Contra Costa County jury on Monday convicted 26-year-old Tanginoa Pahulu Tangi of attempted murder with premeditation and related felonies for what prosecutors say was a targeted ambush-style shooting in Oakley that left a man seriously wounded. Prosecutors say Tangi waited for hours outside the victim’s home, then fired 17 rounds at close range into the victim’s vehicle. The victim survived the barrage. The verdict caps a trial that centered on the early-morning attack in Oakley on Aug. 27, 2025.
According to a press release from the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office, the jury convicted Tangi of attempted murder with premeditation, shooting at an occupied vehicle, reckless evasion and being a felon in possession of a firearm, and also returned firearm enhancements for personally using a gun. The release states that evidence at trial showed Tangi drove from Alameda County to Oakley, waited about three hours outside the victim’s home, then opened fire with 17 shots at close range before discarding the weapon. Sentencing on the Contra Costa County charges will be set at a later date at the Richard E. Arnason Justice Center in Pittsburg. District Attorney Diana Becton praised the prosecution team in the same release, saying, "This conviction reflects the outstanding work of our entire team, and we are grateful to everyone who helped bring justice for the victim in this case." The case was handled by the DA’s Community Violence Reduction Unit.
How Police Tracked Him Down
Oakley police say officers were dispatched around 3:13 AM to the 4800 block of Trenton Street, where they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds who was rushed to a trauma center. A Contra Costa County Sheriff's deputy later spotted a dark-blue 2021 Ford F-150 that matched witness descriptions and followed it until backup arrived. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver sped off and led law enforcement on an 11-mile pursuit that ended only after Antioch officers deployed spike strips to disable the truck and take the driver into custody, according to the Oakley Police Department.
International Ties
The District Attorney's release also notes that Tangi is wanted in New Zealand in connection with the shooting death of a courier in Auckland. New Zealand outlets previously reported that he had been identified in court documents connected to that case. As reported by the NZ Herald, those foreign charges add an international dimension to the local prosecution.
