Man Charged In Oakland Rockridge Shopping Center ATM Shooting
OAKLAND (BCN) -- A man suspected in a shooting at Oakland's Rockridge Shopping Center earlier this month was charged with attempted murder Wednesday.
Brian Bloom, 29, of Oakland, was also charged with using a gun to inflict great bodily injury, an enhancement that could significantly increase his sentence if he's convicted, Alameda County Chief Deputy District Attorney Tom Rogers said.
Bloom is accused of shooting the victim, a 28-year-old man, in the back at an ATM outside a Bank of America branch at 5148 Broadway around 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 16.
The victim is still hospitalized but is expected to recover from his injuries, Rogers said.
Rogers said the motive for the shooting isn't totally clear, but he said Bloom had a personal relationship with the victim several years ago and the two men had recently gotten back in contact.
The victim was with another man at the ATM when he was shot, Rogers said.
Bloom fled the Bay Area after the shooting and was stopped by police in Oregon the next day, Rogers said.
He said Bloom was in the car that had been used in the shooting and had two guns in his car but Oregon police didn't arrest him because it's legal to carry guns in that state and they didn't know about the Oakland shooting.
Bloom was finally arrested in Yolo County last weekend, according to Rogers. He was in a van that was registered in Washington state, he said.
Bloom was scheduled to be arraigned at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland Wednesday afternoon.
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