A young Fresno man and his sleeping infant son were shot and killed in the bedroom of an east Oakland home early Wednesday morning -- the latest in a string of tragedies for the family.
The deaths of 20-year-old Andrew Thomas and 1-year-old Drew Jackson come after three other members of their family, ages 18 to 25, were fatally shot over the past five years in Oakland -- including a shooting Saturday morning that killed Thomas' 18-year-old cousin, Alquino Rivera.
The family has yet to bury Rivera, and their grief intensified as they gathered for another vigil Wednesday afternoon in Oakland.
Thomas lived in Fresno for the past two to three years with his mother, Shaieda Ridley, and was staying briefly with his aunt, Konya Baylis, 33, in east Oakland when he was shot.
"It's hard," said Baylis, recalling the shots fired into the back of her home about 2:45 a.m. Wednesday on Ghormley Avenue. "I was in my room with all the kids."
Oakland has long been infamous for its high crime rate. Last year, there were 126 homicides in Oakland; by comparison, Fresno -- with 100,000 more residents -- had just 51. Within the last month, another child was shot and killed in east Oakland.
The Oakland Police Department said Wednesday that no arrests had been made and they continue to investigate the shooting.
Police said multiple rounds were fired from outside the back of the home, and that there may have been more than one shooter.
Thomas died at the scene. The baby died later at a hospital.
Baylis said Thomas had been trying to get his GED to complete high school in Fresno. At Castlemont High School in Oakland, he played basketball and football, she said.
"My nephew was quiet and (kept) to himself and wasn't into no drugs, selling or gangs," said another aunt, Yasmine Johnson of Oakland. "I don't believe what happened was meant for him."
Johnson said Thomas was in the process of moving from Fresno to Sacramento, and decided to stay a few extra days in Oakland to mourn the death of his cousin. She said she doesn't think his death is connected to Rivero's murder, although Baylis thinks they likely are related.
Johnson said Thomas wasn't employed and spent most of his time caring for his young son.
"He was family-oriented and always had his kid with him," Baylis said.
Baylis said she believes many shootings in Oakland are retaliatory in nature and "it needs to stop."
"Everybody needs to keep the peace," Baylis said. "I'm a humble person, I'm into church, and everybody needs to pray it up."
Reach the reporter at (559) 441-6386 or [email protected].
The deaths of 20-year-old Andrew Thomas and 1-year-old Drew Jackson come after three other members of their family, ages 18 to 25, were fatally shot over the past five years in Oakland -- including a shooting Saturday morning that killed Thomas' 18-year-old cousin, Alquino Rivera.
The family has yet to bury Rivera, and their grief intensified as they gathered for another vigil Wednesday afternoon in Oakland.
Thomas lived in Fresno for the past two to three years with his mother, Shaieda Ridley, and was staying briefly with his aunt, Konya Baylis, 33, in east Oakland when he was shot.
"It's hard," said Baylis, recalling the shots fired into the back of her home about 2:45 a.m. Wednesday on Ghormley Avenue. "I was in my room with all the kids."
Oakland has long been infamous for its high crime rate. Last year, there were 126 homicides in Oakland; by comparison, Fresno -- with 100,000 more residents -- had just 51. Within the last month, another child was shot and killed in east Oakland.
The Oakland Police Department said Wednesday that no arrests had been made and they continue to investigate the shooting.
Police said multiple rounds were fired from outside the back of the home, and that there may have been more than one shooter.
Thomas died at the scene. The baby died later at a hospital.
Baylis said Thomas had been trying to get his GED to complete high school in Fresno. At Castlemont High School in Oakland, he played basketball and football, she said.
"My nephew was quiet and (kept) to himself and wasn't into no drugs, selling or gangs," said another aunt, Yasmine Johnson of Oakland. "I don't believe what happened was meant for him."
Johnson said Thomas was in the process of moving from Fresno to Sacramento, and decided to stay a few extra days in Oakland to mourn the death of his cousin. She said she doesn't think his death is connected to Rivero's murder, although Baylis thinks they likely are related.
Johnson said Thomas wasn't employed and spent most of his time caring for his young son.
"He was family-oriented and always had his kid with him," Baylis said.
Baylis said she believes many shootings in Oakland are retaliatory in nature and "it needs to stop."
"Everybody needs to keep the peace," Baylis said. "I'm a humble person, I'm into church, and everybody needs to pray it up."
Reach the reporter at (559) 441-6386 or [email protected].
