Oakland police arrest 2 additional children in connection with December homicide, robbery
Oakland police on Thursday confirmed the arrests two more children earlier this month in connection with a December shooting and robbery that left an East Oakland father dead.
On Dec. 26, three juveniles aged 15, 13 and 11 allegedly robbed a 14-year-old boy of his scooter as he was headed out to grab food from a taco truck at Foothill Boulevard and 11th Avenue, near his home.
The 14-year-old went home and told his father, Ponciano "Chano" Tule Bernal, and the two of them eventually found the three boys and confronted them over the alleged theft, police said.
As the pair were walking away, the suspects followed and then shot Bernal in the heart at about 4 p.m. in the 1700 block of 14th Avenue, according to information from police and a GoFundMe post set up to benefit Bernal's family.
"I saw my dad fall to the ground in front of our house, choking on his own blood, and he died within seconds," according to the GoFundMe post, which mentions that Bernal also left behind an 8-year-old daughter.
Police arrested the 15-year-old on Jan. 1. On Thursday, Oakland Police Lt. Gloria Beltran said officers apprehended the other two suspects on Jan. 15.
The 15-year-old was charged in connection to Bernal's death and the alleged robbery, the 13-year-old was charged in connection with the robbery and the 11-year-old hasn't been charged because of their age, Beltran said.
Investigators were able to identify the suspects thanks to multiple phone calls and tips from the community, as well as security video footage and help from other law enforcement agencies, Beltran said.
"It's a very unfortunate situation that these juveniles were out there involved in these crimes," she said.
