California dad shot in face while holding baby, family suspects hate crime: report
OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland, California, father of four was shot in the face on Saturday evening in an attack the family believes may have been a hate crime, according to police and local reports.
The Oakland Police Department is investigating the shooting that occurred in the 1000 block of Peralta Street, the department told Fox News.
1000 block of Peralta Street in Oakland, California. (Googe Maps)
"I'm playing the 'why' game right now because we don't talk to anybody really aside from our immediate neighbors, so I'm trying to figure out if it's because we're gay. I just can't believe this is random," one of the children's two fathers, identified only as Jimmie, told KGO, a local ABC station.
Jimmie's husband survived a gunshot wound to the head after he was shot while holding his five-week-old baby, who also survived and sustained only minor abrasions to the face, according to the outlet.
The shooting suspect or suspects fired into their home about 10 times, Jimmie told KGO.
"I just started screaming, 'Get down, get down, get down'! Our daughter, our 4-year-old, was crawling towards me and I moved her towards the kitchen, and he put the baby on the floor," Jimmie said, referencing his husband.
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Police confirmed that a victim was "struck by gunfire and transported to a local hospital," where he was "last listed in stable condition."
Jimmie added that his husband's jaw is fractured and he lost all of his teeth.
"I saw blood on the floor, and his teeth, and I was trying to get him to turn over so I could see what had happened to him but he wouldn't allow me to turn him over," he told the outlet.
Oakland Police did not say whether they are investigating the shooting as a hate crime but did say the investigation is ongoing, and police "do not have any other details to release at this time."
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the department's Felony Assault Unit at (510) 238-3426.
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