A 13-year-old girl and her mother were shot and killed Saturday night in Oakland, officials said.
The shooting occurred just after 11 p.m. on the 9500 block of Birch Street, where officers located three people with gunshot wounds, Kim Armstead, a spokesperson for the Oakland Police Department, told SFGATE.
Desiree Jenkins and her mother, Rebecca Jenkins, 44, were pronounced dead at the scene, OPD said. The department said the third person was transported to a local hospital.
Family and friends of the two told KTVU that Desiree was having a sleepover with her best friend, who was allegedly one of the three people shot.
One of Desiree’s siblings, a 15-year-old, told KTVU that she and two other siblings were also in the apartment when the shooting occurred. The mother and her boyfriend were allegedly arguing before the shooting, KTVU reported.
“They were having a little argument, but I didn’t think it would go this far,” the 15-year-old told KTVU.
OPD said a suspect, Antonio Powell, was arrested at the scene.
Rebecca has three surviving daughters, according to a GoFundMe page.
The Oakland Unified School District is providing behavioral health support this week following the deaths in the community, John Sasaki, a spokesperson for the district said in a statement to SFGATE.
“We are also in close contact with the people who were directly impacted to ensure all their needs are being met in this very difficult time,” Sasaki said. “The causes of this incredible loss are just more examples of a trend of violence that we as a community, a city, and a nation need to put a stop to.”
OPD said there is no other new information at this time and anyone with information regarding the incident should contact the department’s homicide line at 510-238-3821 or submit a tip by calling 510-238-7950.
