OAKLAND, Calif. — Fifteen people were shot after an illegal "sideshow'' took over a peaceful Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, police said Thursday.
Investigators are seeking multiple shooters — more than 50 shell casings were recovered at the scene — following the violence Wednesday night at Lake Merritt, but no arrests had been made by Thursday afternoon.
About 20 vehicles -- mostly all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes — arrived around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday and started a sideshow on the north side of the lake as 5,000 people attended the Juneteenth event.
Sideshows, also known as street takeovers, involve stunts like doughnuts, drifting and burnouts. Street takeovers often involve hundreds of spectators. Cars block access to an intersection, stopping traffic in all directions and making it harder for police to respond. It's become a widespread problem around the country, including Oakland and other cities across the U.S.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell on Thursday said one person walked across the hood of a sideshow vehicle. Multiple occupants got out and attacked the person, whose injuries required them to be hospitalized.
Some of the people in the crowd also attacked police officers, Mitchell said during a news conference. A woman was taken into custody for assaulting an officer while the officer was giving first aid to a gunshot victim.
Detectives are combing social media for leads to the shooters' identities, Mitchell said.
At least one gunshot victim was in critical condition. The victims' ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old. Other injuries included the loss of fingers and minor gunshot wounds.
