Teen Shot to Death in Streets of Oakland Near Vigil for Drowning Victims

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Gunfire erupted in downtown Oakland near a vigil for two drowning victims, leaving a 16-year-old girl dead and sending people running for cover in the days after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Three other people ranging from their mid-teens to early 20s were wounded and in stable condition after the shooting Tuesday evening, police said. The girl died at a hospital.

Mourners had gathered to remember two teenage boys who drowned over Memorial Day weekend at a reservoir in Stanislaus County, media outlets reported. It's not clear what led to the shooting about two blocks away or if it was connected to the memorial.

Image source: KPIX-TV

Witnesses reported that two gunmen on foot opened fire along half a city block, Lt. Carlos Gonzalez told The San Francisco Chronicle.

Mason Stone, 39, said he was walking about a block away when he heard gunshots in rapid succession just after 5:40 p.m.

"And then basically there were people running every which way," he told the newspaper, saying he ducked behind a car until the gunfire ended.

The shooting comes after an attack early Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, left 49 people dead.

"The really scary thing, coming on the heels of the shooting in Orlando, you wonder is it gang-related or is it a crazy gunman," Stone said. "I guess you figure sooner or later if you live in a city like that you ... realize anything can happen at any time."

Another witness, a security guard at a nearby entertainment facility, said he was surprised because downtown Oakland has changed.

"This is very strange," Oscar Edwards told the Chronicle. "Downtown is one of the safest places now."

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