- The Oakland Strokes rowing team competed in a regatta on the Sacramento River
- During the race on April 20, several gunshots rang out as the boys landed on their feet
- West Sacramento police are now looking for the perpetrator
A teenage rowing team narrowly escaped with their lives after a gunman opened fire on them during a race.
The group of nine rowers, ages 15 and 16, were competing in a regatta on the Sacramento River when they heard gunfire.
A terrifying video taken by one of the boy’s mothers shows the moment shots rang out during the race on April 20.
You see the panicky Oakland Strokes helmsman as he turns his head to see where the danger is coming from.
Several splashes can also be seen in the water, believed to be from where the bullets landed.
A teenage rowing team narrowly escaped with their lives after a gunman opened fire on them during a race
The group of nine 15- and 16-year-olds were participating in a regatta on the Sacramento River when they heard gunfire
At first the boys thought the sound was coming from a BB gun, but when they watched the footage they were stunned to realize it was coming from a deadly weapon.
‘I was quite shocked. I think we all were. “It’s horrifying to think about the final push of this race in this peaceful, green setting – to see and hear it,” said parent Fred Ackerman, whose son was aboard the ship. KTVU.
“There were dozens and dozens of people, there were boaters and people walking around on the trail.
“Police don’t know where the shots came from, but they do know it was a gun.”
Miraculously, no one was injured in the gunfire, although the incident has shaken the club.
West Sacramento police are investigating but have not made any arrests so far.
Officers and parents are now asking anyone with information about who may be responsible to come forward.
“No parent should even think about sending their child to a sporting event, a concert or an elementary school and think, ‘My child might get shot today,'” Ackerman added.
Parent Fred Ackerman, whose son was on board the ship, described his horror after realizing what was happening
West Sacramento police are investigating but have not made any arrests so far
Oakland has struggled to get a handle on gun violence, which began to skyrocket during the pandemic.
Oakland Police Department data for 2023 shows gun-related crimes increased by four percent over the five-year average.
According to the data, there were 2,542 shootings or attacks involving firearms last year.
Earlier this year, progressive Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao was ridiculed for claiming that life coaching could be the secret to solving the California city’s rising crime rate.