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Video Shows Man Firing Automatic Weapon At East Bay Sideshow

OAKLAND (KPIX) -- Violence at Bay Area sideshows has crossed a dangerous line. New video shot at at East Bay side show shows gunfire from what appeared to be an automatic weapon. This follows a weekend of dangerous driving caught on camera.

Organizers who used to throw city-sanctioned sideshows say this isn't how it used to be.

KPIX first showed video of a sideshow bystander standing too close to the cars. He gets hit and flips over, nearly losing his pants.

New video allegedly shot in East Oakland, shows a sideshow bystander is firing off what looks like a fully automatic handgun with a high-capacity magazine.

At slow speed, the video shows a man holding up his phone in one hand and firing a handgun in the other.

It wasn't always this way.

Back in 2005 Yakpasua Zazaboi organized a city-sanctioned sideshow event.

"Years ago, we have always been advocates of safe and sanctioned event," said Zazaboi. "A sideshow at its core is social interaction. It's about men and women and boy meets girls and trying to show off to get attention, and there are certain things you did not do because you did not want to scare people away."

KPIX showed the Oakland Police Department this most recent video.

OPD says it discourages illegal sideshow activity and has a detail that specifically detours sideshows.

"Let's be honest, monkey see monkey do," says Zazaboi. "Obviously, they didn't create the guns - they didn't create the violence. They definitely didn't bring the guns to Oakland and if we go down this rabbit hole, let's go all the way. Let's not stop at the easiest target."

Right now, sideshows are illegal in Oakland and statewide there there has been some talk of hosting legal sideshows at venues with empty lots like the Oakland Coliseum.

Meantime, Zazaboi is pushing for a town hall meeting in an effort to create a dialogue between sideshow enthusiasts and city leaders.

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