DA: Man charged in Bayfair Mall parking lot homicides also charged in Oakland In-N-Out shooting
SAN LEANDRO – A man charged with murder in connection with two deadly shootings in a parking lot at Bayfair Mall in San Leandro is also suspected in a recent shooting in an Oakland restaurant, prosecutors said.
According to Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price's office, 23-year-old Joshua Ballard of San Leandro is suspected in a shooting that took place at an In-N-Out Burger on the night of September 3.
Investigators with the Oakland Police Department said that Ballard got into a fight with two patrons and shot two rounds into the restaurant. Police said one of the bullets hit a bystander in the ankle.
Following the shooting, an unregistered "ghost gun" was recovered at the scene.
Ballard was charged with three counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and carrying a loaded firearm in a city in connection with the September 3 shooting, prosecutors said.
Last week, Ballard was arrested following an investigation into two deadly shootings that took place in the parking lot of the 24-Hour Fitness gym at Bayfair Mall on September 14 and September 24. In both shootings, the victims were shot while sitting inside their respective vehicles.
Prosecutors said both victims were shot while being carjacked and both suffered fatal head wounds.
Police said last week that the victims were not specifically targeted and that the crimes were not directly related to the gym.
Ballard is facing multiple charges, including two counts of murder, carjacking and second degree robbery in connection with the San Leandro shootings.
"There are too many guns in Alameda County and too easy access to guns," Price said in a statement. "My office is committed to reducing the easy access to guns, particularly ghost guns, and working with young people to prevent the kind of reckless disregard for life that we see in this case. This case of deadly violence traumatizes our whole community and will not be tolerated."
Ballard remains at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail. According to jail records, his next court appearance is a plea hearing scheduled for November 9.
If convicted, Ballard faces approximately 88 years to life in state prison, prosecutors said.