Tragedy near Tent City

Driver fatally shot near peace camp
RICHMOND: Police lack suspects and motive despite information offered by area residents

By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

A 24-year-old man died Monday during a drive-by shooting in Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood, three blocks from where activists have been camping to protest street violence.

The shooting started a few minutes after 10 a.m., when a white Buick heading north on First Street pulled up to a stop sign at Macdonald Avenue, police said.

A black, late-model Honda with tinted windows drove up behind the Buick, and someone in the back seat leaned out the window and fired dozens of rounds at the other car, Detective Sgt. Mitch Peixoto said.

The driver of the Buick, Jesse Lee Woodson, drove a half-block more before crashing into a fence on the 300 block of First Street. A passenger in the car was not injured, police said.

While evidence at the scene and several community tips aided the investigation Monday, detectives still lacked a clear suspect or motive in the case, Peixoto said.

Down the street from the fatal shooting, anti-violence activists who have been camping near the corner of Fourth Street and Macdonald Avenue for a week expressed outrage but said the community response to Richmond's 33rd homicide of the year was encouraging.

Several men from North Richmond appeared quickly to profess their lack of knowledge about the shooting and offer condolences to those among the central Richmond crowd that gathered beside the crime scene tape.

"This is incredible progress," said the Rev. Andre Shumake, one of the anti-violence activists camping on Fourth Street. "They joined together to show that all the neighborhoods are staying the course and fighting the good fight to protect our children."

Last month, police say, a pattern of retaliatory shootings between street factions in north and central Richmond left two teenagers dead within 90 minutes -- one of the teens slain in each neighborhood.

North Richmond's gangs are particularly notorious and are often blamed for shootings elsewhere in the city. The efforts of North Richmond activists to defuse hostilities shows that the citywide dialogue about street violence in the community is helping, Shumake said.

Staff writer John Geluardi contributed to this article. Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.

HOW TO HELP:
Police ask anyone with information about the killing of Jesse Lee Woodson to call Detective Aaron Mandell at 510-620-6622.