Young Praise Dancer Fatally Shot In Oakland At Vigil For Drowned Teens
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- The 16-year-old girl who was fatally shot in downtown Oakland Tuesday evening was attending a vigil for two local teens who drowned in Stanislaus County on Memorial Day weekend.
The victim was identified in social media posts as Reggina Jefferies. Her identity was confirmed Wednesday morning by Oakland police.
Jefferies was killed in a shooting reported at 5:41 p.m. in the vicinity of 13th and Franklin streets, police said.
Police had initially said the vigil was for a recent drowning victim from Salinas, but later clarified that it was for two 15-year-old Oakland boys who drowned at Woodward Reservoir north of Oakdale on May 28.
The teens, identified by the Stanislaus County coroner's office as Josiah Pratt-Rose and Jamari Wilson, had gone missing after jumping from a boat with family members. Their bodies were recovered days later.
Police also initially said six people were injured in Tuesday's shooting, but eventually clarified that four people were hit. Jefferies died at a hospital, while the other three victims were listed in stable condition.
Shayla Jamerson saw the chaos after the shooting.
"It was a celebration," said Jamerson. "She had just done a beautiful praise dance which I saw on Facebook -- just hurt me more."
Donnie Briggs, who identified himself as Pratt-Rose's cousin, wrote in a Facebook post that he and others were at the vigil downtown after a memorial service and the gunfire erupted during an argument over a dice game nearby.
"Some IDIOTS started fighting over a dice game, someone pulled out a gun, shots were fired," Briggs wrote.
No suspect information has been released by police in connection with the shooting. Meantime, friends and family of the victim are planning yet another vigil.
"I'm mad," said Jamerson. "This girl had nothing to do with anything. Can't we just let our youth grow up?"
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