What Happened at the Fruitvale BART Shooting?

Early New Year's day, Oscar Grant, 22, was plugged once by a bullet from a BART officer's gun, and died. His death, it seems, stemmed from a fight hew as involved in inside a BART train. In the middle of a fight between two groups of men heading from San Francisco to the East Bay, the melee spilled off the train and onto the platform.

So, the cops were called. The boys were rounded up, placed in handcuff, and they were all set the spend the first day of 2009 in the clink. But then, for reasons that are still unknown, Oscar Grant was shot and killed.

Authorities say that they are "investigating whether the gun was fired on purpose or accidentally," even though the "officer had drawn his weapon during the incident." And it's unclear if Grant was handcuffed or not when he got shot. While some eyewitnesses claim that "Grant was on the platform and handcuffed when he was shot," BART spokesperson Jim Allison said that "[a] preliminary investigation indicates that Mr. Grant was not restrained when the officer's firearm was discharged."

Grant had zip-tie cuffs around his ankles and wrists, says one witness. And no weapons were found at the scene.

Hm.

The BART officer who shot Grant has since been placed on leave. Grant leaves behind a four-year-old daughter.

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