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Press Release: Six Men Shot in Two West Berkeley Incidents over the Weekend

From Sergeant Mary C. Kusmiss, BPD Public Information Officer
Monday March 05, 2012 - 03:53:00 PM

The Berkeley Police Department on Monday provided information on two shooting incidents over the weekend in West Berkeley with a total of six injuries: 

The City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) received multiple calls reporting possible gunshots in the 2200 block of Bonar Street on Friday, March 2, 2012 at approximately 6:21 p.m. BPD officers responded, located the victims, requested City of Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) personnel to respond and secured the crime scene. Based on the initial investigation, it appears that a group of at least five people were standing in front of an apartment building when a vehicle driving on Bonar Street stopped in the roadway. 

Occupants of this vehicle fired multiple rounds at the group before fleeing the area. BPD located three (3) victims of gunshot wounds in the area. Each of the injured were treated on the scene by BFD then transported to Highland Hospital for further care. None of the injuries to the victims are life threatening. One was kept overnight for observation. All three men have now been treated and released. Officers did checks of the area and surrounding neighborhoods but did not locate any suspect(s) or suspect vehicle. 

About 12:51 a.m., on Sunday, March 4, 2012, the City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) received multiple reports from community members regarding gunshots heard in the area of 7th and Addison Streets. BPD patrol officers responded and found the victims at Sixth (6th) and Bancroft Way as they were trying to leave the area. City of Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) responded to medically assess the victims. 

A group of approximately five people were hanging out in front of a house in the 2100 block of 7th Street. Two suspects on foot approached the group on 7th Street. The suspect(s) fired at the group. The suspects fled on foot, possibly to a waiting vehicle that fled the area. After being fired at, the group of five were located by responding officers a couple blocks south of the shooting scene. Three of the male victims sustained gunshot wounds, none of which were deemed life threatening. All of the victims were treated and released from the hospital. 

BPD Patrol officers immediately began investigating and conducting area checks for the suspect(s) but were not able to locate any. 

In the interest of not compromising the active and ongoing investigation, this is the total substance of what we are sharing today. The names of the victims of any violent crimes are protected by confidentiality. 

We do not know if the two shootings are related. The BPD detectives will certainly explore that possibility.