OAKLAND — A 55-year-old man fatally shot Jan. 1 in Oakland’s first homicide of 2023 was identified by police Thursday as James Stephens.
A 52-year-old Hayward man, a friend of Stephens who was also wounded in the shooting, has been released from a hospital, authorities said.
Police have not yet determined a motive for the shooting and have not announced any arrests.
The shooting happened about 2:30 p.m. Jan. 1 in the 6900 block of International Boulevard in East Oakland.
Police said Stephens, an Oakland resident, got into an argument with another man on the sidewalk. Authorities have not said what the argument was about, but it turned physical and Stephens was shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Hayward man, who was standing nearby, was also shot. He got his own transportation to a hospital.
The shooter fled in a unspecified vehicle. A detailed description of him has not been released by police.
The fatal shooting marks the third year in a row that Oakland recorded its first homicide of the year on Jan. 1.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $15,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the shooter. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or 510-238-7950 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
Source: www.mercurynews.com