Several hours of violence erupted Wednesday night as demonstrators at "smashed storefronts and cars, set several cars ablaze and blocked streets in downtown Oakland." The riot started after a protest was held at the Frutivale BART station, voicing anger at the New Year's Day shooting death of Oscar Grant. The "roving mob" went to town, indiscriminately going on a rampage throughout downtown Oakland.

The mob smashed the windows at Creative African Braids on 14th Street, and a woman walked out of the shop holding a baby in her arms.

"This is our business," shouted Leemu Topka, the black owner of the salon she started four years ago. "This is our shop. This is what you call a protest?

While the victims of last night's riots had nothing to do with the unfortunate killing of Oscar Grant, many protesters were tickled over the noise being made in the name of racial injustice and (alleged) frustration. "I feel like the night is going great," said Nia Sykes, 24, a San Francisco resident who made it over to Oakland to experience some gritty color. "I feel like Oakland should make some noise. This is how we need to fight back. It's for the murder of a black male."

The riot started in the evening after 200 or so protested splintered off from the original protest. Over 100 were arrested. The BART investigation into Grant's death continues at a viscous pace.

Image: The Inadvertent Gardener

As students were taking their final exams yesterday afternoon, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed on Somerset Street, right across from Philip and Sala Burton High School, according to the . While the victim has yet to be identified, the murder suspect is described as "a single black suspect, age 17 or 18." Police are also looking for another nondescript suspect "driving a white vehicle."

Students were then immediately put on lock down while SFPD investigated the murder. As of now no arrests have been made. Oh, and this makes it the 48th homicide of 2008 in SF as of today. The big 5-0 is coming up!

Update: The teen shot and killed yesteday has been identified as Trayon Dixson. The victim, according to Police Sgt. Wilfred Williams, was not a student at teh nearby school.

Although known around his hood for being a neighborhood peacekeeper, 34-year-old Andre Daniels took two bullets to the head and died on Tuesday in what SFPD are calling "an execution-style killing."

Happening just before 9 a.m. at the Alice Griffith housing project, the Gate tells us that "neighbors reported hearing five or six shots," but that no one has admitted to witnessing the killing. Or rather, no one will come forward. As of now, no arrests have been made and no description of the suspect(s) is available.

This most recent killing makes it the 43rd for San Francisco this year compared to 38 at this same time last year in 2007.

Via.