OAKLAND — A 22-month-old girl was injured in a shooting Thursday afternoon while riding in a car in East Oakland, authorities said.
The shooting happened in the area of 66th and Outlook avenues shortly before noon, when someone shot at the car, according to police.
The driver of the car drove to Highland Hospital, but the child was soon transferred to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, where she was in stable condition, police said.
In a brief statement outside the hospital early Thursday evening, a woman who identified herself as a cousin to the injured girl said only that there was no connection with Wednesday’s fatal West Oakland shooting, and that the family was “holding up fine” and asking the public for prayers.
Oakland police spokeswoman Officer Johnna Watson said Assistant Chief David Downing met with the child’s mother and family at the hospital and checked in on the child.
He also went “to assure them that police are investigating the case to see who’s responsible for this act of violence that has brought harm not only to a child but to our community,” Watson said.
No information was available on how many people were in the car, but one of them was the child’s mother, police said. A motive for the shooting was not released.
Police said they were looking into the possibility the shooting might be linked to a homicide Wednesday on Myrtle Street in West Oakland where a 21-year-old man was fatally shot but would not say why.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $10,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Anyone with information may call the police Felony Assault Unit at 510-238-3426 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
Staff writer George Kelly contributed to this report. Contact Harry Harris at 510-208-6488.
