In Oakland, a hail of gunfire along an the street left eight people wounded, including a 1-year-old boy and a woman who authorities say were hospitalized in critical condition. The gunfire broke out Monday evening in a liquor store parking lot after a crowd had gathered, police said. The victims were transported to local hospitals by others at the scene before officers arrived to find dozens of bullet casings. The 1-year-old’s father also was shot, but relatives told KTVU-TV he was able to drive his son to the hospital, where surgeons were trying to relieve swelling on the toddler’s brain. “We are aware of a 1-year-old boy who was shot – possibly in the head – in critical condition right now,” Oakland Police Lt. Robert Chan told the station. Children’s Hospital Oakland declined to release any details about the child. The shootings just after 6 p.m. happened near Interstate 880 in the city’s West Oakland neighborhood, police officer Johnna Watson said. Watson said six of the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators were seeking multiple shooters, but further details on suspects or a motive were not immediately available. Television footage showed a van belonging to Oakland rapper Kafani that was riddled with bullet holes and had apparently taken some of the victims to the hospital.
The rapper, who goes by the name Kafani, posted to Twitter on Monday that he had not been shot but to pray for his little cousin. He said news reports that he had been filming a music video when the shooting took place were incorrect.