OAKLAND — As the mother of a 27-year-old Berkeley man fatally shot earlier this year in North Oakland said Tuesday she felt no hate toward the killer and urged the suspect to surrender, police and the FBI asked for the public’s help in solving the case and said the reward for information has been tripled.
Carol Ferguson Jones, who has spent much of her life advocating against violence, spoke to the media after a news conference at police headquarters, telling the still-sought killer “I don’t hate you. But do what is right. Turn yourself in.”
Her son, Patrick Scott Jr., who had a disability his mother would not discuss, was shot about 11 a.m. Feb. 3 as he waited for a bus in the 6200 block of Market Street to go his grandmother’s house.
Oakland homicide investigator Officer Mike Jaeger said police still have not identified a suspect or a motive for the killing. Scott, “was an innocent young man loved by his family. He did not do anything to deserve this,” Jaeger said. “We want to solve this for his family and the community.”
Jaeger did say there is evidence suggesting Scott was the intended target but would not elaborate.
Bert Fairries, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Francisco Division, expressed his agency’s condolences to the family and said they are committed to helping Oakland police solve the case. “There is no reason we have for this shooting to have taken place but unfortunately we lost the life of one of our citizens. We are committed to not allowing the lives of innocent citizens to be taken away.”
Prior to the FBI’s involvement, Oakland police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland had offered up to $10,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the killer. The FBI is now also offering up to another $20,000. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or the FBI at 415-553-7400.
Ferguson Jones told the media that “there are no words that can describe how I feel. No one had the right to do what they did to my son.” She vowed to do everything she could to make sure her son’s killer is brought to justice. “I’m not going to stop. I don’t ever want any mother to feel this pain.”
