Shooting Suspect Sentenced to 20+ years
On August 15, 2015 at 6:38 pm, BPD received multiple reports of shots fired in the area of San Pablo Park. When officers arrived, they located a 35 year old man on the 2800 block of Mabel Street with a gunshot wound from an apparent drive-by shooting as well as a number of vehicles and houses that were struck by gunfire. A number of 7.62 and .45 caliber casings were found at the scene as well.
A witness saw the suspect vehicle fleeing the scene and relayed the license plate to officers. Although not found that day, investigators were able to alert other local law enforcement agencies about the wanted vehicle.
On August 20th 2015, there was a shooting in Oakland with 7.62 casings left at the scene—the same brand as the ones in the Berkeley shooting. In that case, Tousant’s cell phone was discovered in a rental car that was left at the scene of the shooting.
On August 31st 2015, the Oakland Police Department located the vehicle in East Oakland with Jamell Tousant driving. Inside the vehicle, officers located a gun (unrelated to the earlier shooting) as well as 7.62 caliber casings that were the same brand as the casings found at the shooting.
When interviewed, Tousant stated that he had not been in Berkeley since his son’s funeral in April or May (On April 18, 2015 Tousant’s son, Jamell Tousant Jr. was killed in Oakland). When investigators obtained a search warrant for Tousant’s cell phone they discovered that Tousant had not told the truth. Tousant was in Berkeley and in the area of San Pablo Park at the time of the shooting. Phone records also revealed that on the day of the shooting, Tousant texted his wife asking if the police had come by the house, that he had just did something and was “Hot.”
When investigators obtained a search warrant for Tousant’s residence, they discovered a high-capacity drum magazine associated with assault rifles.
On October 23rd 2015, the Berkeley Police Department arrested Tousant at his residence in Alameda. At the end of the court process, which included a two week trial, Tousant was found guilty on multiple assault and gun charges. On Friday October 19, 2018, Tousant was sentenced to 20+ years.
This arrest and conviction would not be possible without the assistance and cooperation of the Oakland Police Department, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and the continued hard work and dedication of members of the Berkeley Police Department.
Address/Location
Berkeley Police Department
2100 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 510-981-5900