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Party Promoter Sought In San Leandro Triple-Killing Case

SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) -- Police said Tuesday that they are trying to find the promoter of a tattoo party after which three people were shot to death and three others were wounded.

San Leandro police Sgt. Doug Calcagno said promoter Oscar Edwards talked to police shortly after the shooting at the corner of Alvarado Street and Aladdin Avenue shortly before 1:20 a.m. Sunday but hasn't been in touch with them since.

"He's turned his phone off and is not getting a hold of us even though he knows we need to talk to him," Calcagno said.

He said police want to talk to Edwards, who lives in Oakland, because "he has information on the people who were at the party" and those who were helping to run it.

It's estimated that about 200 people attended the tattoo party, which was held at a warehouse and was heavily promoted on Facebook and other social media websites, according to Calcagno.

The shooting occurred about 50 minutes after the party ended at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, he said.

The initial indication is that Edwards was at the party but left before the shooting and didn't see it, Calcagno said. But he said police want Edwards to give a formal statement and confirm that information.

Edwards didn't get a permit for the party but it's unclear whether he was legally obligated to do so, Calcagno said.

He said tattoo party promoters can be hard to track because "they are not necessarily businessmen and are opportunists who don't have licenses."

Killed in the shooting were 16-year-old Leneasha Northington, 19-year-old Shanice Kiel and 23-year-old Joshua Alford.

Three other people were wounded in the shooting. Calcagno said one of them has been released from a local hospital but the other two victims are still in serious condition.

San Leandro Shooting Person Of Interest
Person of interest in a shooting in San Leandro on October 2, 2011 that killed 3 people. The person is described as a man 18-24 years old, 5'8" with a slim build, dreadlocks with gold tips, brown eyes, a thin mustache and goatee. (San Leandro Police)

He said police haven't established a motive for the shooting but are busy investigating leads they developed after they released a sketch of a person of interest who may be associated with the group of suspects in the case.

That person of interest is a black man with a light complexion, 18 to 24 years old, 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-8 inches tall, with a slim build, shoulder-length dreadlocks with gold tips, brown eyes, a thin mustache and a goatee.

The man also has upper and lower gold teeth with a design of canines and diamonds, Calcagno said.

Police also are looking for another man but only have a general description of him, which is that he was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, Calcagno said.

He said the investigation "is going well and there's no shortage of work."

People who have information about the shooting can call a police tip line at (510) 577-3278, Calcagno said.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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