Police say 15 shot during Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California
Oakland (AP): Fifteen people were shot during a Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, police said.
The violence broke out Wednesday night during an event at Lake Merritt that was largely peaceful, with as many as 5,000 in attendance, until a sideshow involving "motorbikes and vehicles" took place around 8:15 pm on the north side of the lake.
A fight broke out down the street from the sideshow and a crowd gathered in the area of the fight, police said on Thursday. At least one person was taken into custody for assaulting an officer.
Another person was injured during an assault that occurred after they walked across the hood of one of the vehicles involved in the sideshow and the occupants' got out and attacked them, Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell told a news conference.
No suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting, Mitchell said.
Investigators found more than 50 shell casings at the scene.
At least one gunshot victim was in critical condition. The victims' ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old.
Paul Chambers, the police department's strategic communications manager, said earlier that as officers tried to get the crowd to safety several people struck OPD officers.
A large police presence included as many as two dozen police vehicles and multiple ambulances at the scene, KTVU-TV reported. Police said 28 officers and four sergeants were at the scene to monitor the event.
Participants in the celebration were seen getting verbal with police with some people criticizing police response, saying they didn't respond quickly enough when people were injured, KTVU reported.
In 2021, a shooting during a Juneteenth celebration at Lake Merritt left several people injured and a 22-year-old San Francisco man dead.
Police said the investigation of Wednesday night's shooting was ongoing.
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Beef up healthcare services in HP: Jai Ram Thakur advises state govt after ruckus at hospital
Shimla (PTI): Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said the state government should take concrete steps to prevent overcrowding at hospitals, enhance security arrangements, reduce excessive workload and curb administrative negligence, which he held responsible for the assault of a patient by a doctor at a prominent hospital here.
In a statement issued here, Thakur said that this incident is a serious warning to the health department and the state government.
His statement came a day after a junior resident doctor allegedly assaulted a patient, throwing multiple punches, following an argument at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), sparking a protest with the victim's relatives demanding that the doctor be handed over to them.
A video of the shocking incident also surfaced on social media.
The leader of the opposition said the government should take concrete steps instead of making statements.
Expressing concern over the deteriorating condition of the healthcare sector in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said today, the people are suffering due to this collapse in the sector.
"The state government should prioritise healthcare services and should immediately fill vacant posts in the sector. They should also strengthen security arrangements in hospitals and ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical equipment in hospitals,” he added.
He further said that the state government should work honestly to ensure that the benefits of central schemes are provided to every person in Himachal Pradesh.
"Schemes such as Himcare and Ayushman Bharat should be ensured for the people, as they are very beneficial for poor and needy families as well as for the middle-class people. However, due to negligence and mismanagement of the government in implementing them, people are unable to avail the benefits,” Thakur said.
He also alleged that, despite the budget being allocated by the Centre for these schemes, patients are unable to avail the basic facilities.
The situation is such that even many essential medicines are not available for patients, he added.
