Traffic on the Bay Bridge came to a stop Saturday afternoon after the California Highway Patrol halted lanes to investigate a shooting that had been reported hours earlier, before dawn. All eastbound lanes were closed for about an hour during the investigation, and an additional search closed eastbound lanes for around 30 minutes. Authorities were working to identify suspects.
According to NBC Bay Area, CHP closed all eastbound lanes for about an hour during the investigation and closed eastbound lanes for around 30 minutes during an additional search. The shooting had been reported at 4:06 a.m., per CHP. Authorities were working to identify suspects.
What Remains Unknown
The shooting was reported on eastbound I-80, east of Treasure Island. A person was hurt, reported a gunshot wound to the leg, and was self-transporting to a hospital. Authorities were working to identify suspects, and it was not clear when normal traffic flow fully resumed after the closures.
A Bridge With a History of Gunfire Disruptions
Saturday's stoppage was brief compared to some past incidents on the span. In November 2022, gunfire reported near Yerba Buena Island in the westbound direction shut down two left lanes and snarled traffic for more than three hours, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. That shooting left one person injured by flying debris, though CHP confirmed no deaths resulted.
An even longer closure followed a June 2017 officer-involved shooting, when CHP shut down all five eastbound lanes for more than four hours after an officer responding to a crash shot and wounded a driver whose Cadillac drove toward officers, The Mercury News reported. Two passengers in that vehicle were not wounded, and the driver was arrested but had not been booked or charged as of that report, with authorities saying he was expected to face an assault-with-a-deadly-weapon charge once he left the hospital.
Past Charges Tied to Bridge Gunfire
The Bay Bridge has also been the scene of shootings that led to criminal charges well after the fact. In July 2023, Sequoia Dunkinsell was accused of firing a gun at passing cars on the eastbound bridge; no injuries were reported in that alleged shooting, according to the San Francisco Examiner. Dunkinsell later pleaded not guilty to 12 criminal charges connected to that incident.
No such details have emerged for Saturday's shooting. CHP has not released information on a suspect or motive, and it remains unclear whether the case will lead to charges as prior bridge shootings eventually did. Authorities said only that the investigation into the 4:06 a.m. report was ongoing, and Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
