San Leandro police investigate possible connection between car crash and shooting

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- San Leandro police are investigating the murder of a man celebrating a religious ceremony at a private party from Sunday night.

The victim was one of nearly 100 people enjoying a first communion celebration at the San Leandro Senior Center.

Police say even though there were lots of children around, someone deliberately started shooting just after 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

"We don't believe it was a random act of violence. We believe it's a targeted homicide," said Lt. Robert McManus with the San Leandro Police Department.

According to McManus, as the shots were fired, a gray minivan with several passengers peeled out of the driveway and collided with another vehicle in front of the center, before hitting a utility pole.

In fact, it was that crash officers first responded to before learning of the murder.

They haven't been able to catch up with those individuals in the minivan and aren't sure what role they may have played.

"We don't know whether they were involved in the homicide or fled when they heard the gunshots and were trying to get away to safety," said McManus.

One woman says she heard the gun shots and saw the chaos.

"They were loud. I heard about 8 gun shots. We looked out the window and seen people running," she said.

Police are reviewing surveillance video from cameras at the Senior Center and nearby businesses, as they continue to investigate.

Meanwhile, the center, which serves hundreds of elderly clients, cancelled many of their activities on Monday.