One suspect is now in custody facing a murder charge for a January 23 shootout that injured four people and killed one, 18-year-old Mario Navarro, during a music video shoot at an East Oakland gas station.
21-year-old Brian David Cruz of San Leandro is now facing nine felony counts, including murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and possession of a firearm. The Oakland Police Department announced Cruz's arrest Wednesday morning, and they thanked the "US Marshals, Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Fairfield PD, and San Leandro PD for their help in this case."
The incident took place on January 23, a Monday, just after 6 p.m., at a Valero gas station on the 5900 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland. Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation, and upon arriving found no wounded victims — all of whom had self-transported to area hospitals.
As SFist earlier reported, the shootout involved multiple gunmen, who began firing on each other during the music video shoot that was attended by 40 to 50 people.
As KRON4 reports, Navarro was "caught in the middle of the melee" and was shot in the stomach. According to the Chronicle, Navarro attended the music video shoot with an uncle and cousin. He would later die from his injuries.
Navarro's father partly blames the city's emergency response, telling KRON4, "The ambulance never showed up. They only got there after everyone was gone. They could have saved my boy’s life. Instead, he was taken by people with no experience."
Like a deadly shooting that took place in downtown Sacramento in April 2022, this shooting appeared to police to be the result of gang conflict, and involved multiple gunmen shooting indiscriminately. The victims were likely primarily bystanders, though that is not clear.
Oakland police cite 11 victims in the January shooting, however the Chronicle reports on only four wounded in addition to Navarro. Initial reports from the incident had cited eight victims, however it was later reported that three people were injured as a result of a car collision as they were trying to flee the chaotic scene.
Cruz was convicted just five months ago, in October, as the Chronicle reports, on a felony gun charge, and he was on probation at the time of this shooting.
Though multiple gunmen are believed to have been involved, no other arrests have yet been made. OPD asks that anyone with information call the Homicide Section at 510-238-3821 or the department's tip line at 510-238-7950.
Previously: Monday Shootout In Oakland Took Place During Music Video Shoot, Appears Gang Related
Photo: Google Street View
