DA: Man angry at drivers racing by Oakland home opens fire on cars, killing innocent victim
OAKLAND -- A man frustrated with cars racing by his Oakland home opened fire with an assault rifle at passing cars, killing a woman who was just passing by in her car, according to authorities.
In a video statement Tuesday, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price said her office filed murder charges against Bernard Jimmerson, 39, for the killing of Marie Bedford in the early morning hours of April 29.
Oakland Police said Wednesday the shooting happened on the 9500 block of MacArthur Boulevard in the city's Castlemont neighborhood at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Officers went to the area after receiving notifications from the ShotSpotter detection system and found a woman suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The woman, identified as Bedford, died of her injuries at the scene, police said.
"[Jimmerson] told police he was frustrated by the noise of cars racing up and down his street in the middle of the night," said Price. "He went outside with his rifle and shot at passing cars - hitting and killing Marie Bedford. Today, because of a decision he made in anger, Mr. Jimmerson is facing a sentence of 27 years to life."
Price has shown a preference for issuing video statements on her office's YouTube page about cases her office is prosecuting, rather than granting interview requests from news reporters.
Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, possession of an assault rifle, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon, and the manufacture/sale of a large-capacity magazine.
"There are too many guns in this community," said Price. "And there are too many people who are too quick to use a gun, believing they have a right to use a gun - when they do not."
Zimmerman, the father of two young children, also faces a gun enhancement for the use of a firearm when committing a felony.
He was being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
