Full Notification

Between 10PM on December 31, 2017 and 2AM on January 1, 2018, the San Leandro Police Department received six calls for service reporting celebratory gunfire. In one of those incidents, a woman was wounded when she was hit by a descending bullet. Just after midnight on the morning of January 1, 2018, a San Leandro resident was in the garden area of her apartment complex in the 1200 block of Pacific Avenue when she was struck in her lower extremity by a stray bullet. San Leandro Police officers and other emergency personnel arrived on scene and treated the victim for a minor injury. The investigation into the shooting revealed the bullet was from New Year’s Eve celebratory gunfire and that the victim was not the intended target of any criminal activity.

Most bullets from celebratory gunfire land harmlessly or lodge in roofs or other property, but, in areas with high population densities, there is a likelihood that bullets may strike human beings. Often, these bullets are more than likely to hit the victim’s head, shoulder, or feet. In this incident, it is very fortunate that the victim sustained a minor injury, which did not require any hospitalization.

Even though, New Year’s Eve has passed, it is very important to remember that shooting a gun into the air is illegal and could be considered a felony pursuant to section 246.3 of the California Penal Code.

Please enjoy the remainder of this holiday season and let’s not have anyone else suffer from the illegal actions of another.

For crime prevention tips please go to the Police Department’s website at http://www.sanleandro.org/depts/pd or contact our Crime Prevention Unit at 510-577-3228.

Citizens play a critical role in creating a safe environment by observing and reporting any suspicious and criminal activity to the Police. The San Leandro Police Department recommends that citizens do not participate in any direct verbal or physical involvement with suspicious persons or those who are committing crimes. The personal safety of the community is paramount. We encourage the San Leandro community to record the details of what they observe and to report those details to the Police. This type of community involvement and partnership has proven to be a very effective crime prevention tool. Citizens act as the eyes and ears of the community first, and the extended eyes and ears of the San Leandro Police Department. Thank you for being a force multiplier in our efforts to provide professional police services and safety to the community.