Oakland police are once again asking the public for help solving one of the city's most jarring school shootings: the September 2022 attack on the King Estates campus in East Oakland that wounded six people and eventually killed Oakland Unified carpenter David Sakurai.
In a post shared this week, the department renewed its appeal and put surveillance video of the suspects back in front of the public. More than four years after the shooting, no suspects, and no getaway driver, have been publicly identified or arrested.
What happened
The shooting happened around 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2022, in the 8200 block of Fontaine Street, home to a complex of several schools. Police have said two gunmen walked onto the campus and fired more than 30 rounds in what they described as a targeted, gang-related attack, then fled in a car driven by a third person.
The intended target wasn't Sakurai. He was a 64-year-old district carpenter who was putting up posters in a hallway when he was hit. Five others were wounded too, including two students who were at least 18, a security guard, a counselor and another district employee. Sakurai spent about seven weeks in the hospital and died on Nov. 17, 2022.
Why the video matters now
The footage of the two suspected shooters on campus remains the most concrete public lead in the case. Police are hoping that someone who recognizes the men, the getaway car, or anything else in the video will come forward, even years later. Cold cases are often broken by a single tip from someone whose circumstances or loyalties have changed.
How to help
Anyone with information can call the Oakland Police Department's Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821 or its tip line at (510) 238-7950. In an emergency, call 911.
For many East Oakland families, the King Estates shooting was a turning point in the debate over safety on school campuses. Until someone is charged, the families of Sakurai and the other victims are still waiting for answers.