OAKLAND, CA – A celebratory occasion turned into a scene of panic as gunfire erupted at the graduation ceremony of Skyline High School on Thursday evening. According to Oakland law enforcement, the shooting unfolded around 7:45 p.m. in the campus’s northern area, prompting students and families to seek shelter in Oakland’s hilly landscape.
Lt. Robert Trevino, an Oakland police representative, divulged that a male and female victim had been discovered with gunshot injuries. He confirmed that both victims were rushed to local hospitals and were recovering stably.
Reports suggest a dispute that unfolded before the shooting is under investigation. Trevino stated that multiple suspects were involved, but an exact figure was not disclosed, and the shooting appears to be an isolated incident.
Witnesses recounted the ordeal, revealing the chaos as gunfire rang out and disrupted the end of the ceremony. Despite the tragedy that unfolded, a student named Mohamed Sulaiman expressed relief that he and his family had been safely escorted out and confessed that his graduation day remained a happy occasion despite the circumstances.
An eerie scene of emergency vehicles, empty white seats, and a lone white tent– all signifiers of a high school graduation– remained in the aftermath, along with a sign outside the entrance proclaiming “we have amazing educators.”