Reward offered to catch whoever wounded Oakland boy hit by bullet fragments

EAST OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- There is now a reward of up to $5,000 to catch whoever wounded a 3-year-old boy in Oakland on Wednesday night.

It's the latest crime that has the city beefing up patrols.

"When a child this young is struck by a bullet, it strikes us all," said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.

RELATED: 3-year-old boy struck in head by bullet fragments in Oakland

The City of Oakland provided video of Schaaf answering questions about the shooting.

Meantime, the evidence of the gunfire is still visible the next day. The back window of a car is blown out, what appears to be a bullet hole is through the metal sign post, and nervous neighbors who did not want to talk on camera.

It's just those neighbors police are appealing to.

"We know that community members were there, they witnessed this incident, and there's information that can be provided to us to help further our investigation. And we're asking for community members to come forward," said Oakland Police Dept. Chief Leronne Armstrong.

Police say they are still looking for suspects and a motive in the shooting that took place on 80th Avenue near Holly Street.

Witnesses say that people were crowded into the street Wednesday night for a memorial for an 18-year-old murder victim who was killed June 29, when at least one shooter fired multiple shots from behind a fence, hitting a car with an innocent child inside.

"A young 3-year-old child was in the car with his mother when a round hit that vehicle and shrapnel from that round injured the child," Armstrong said.

The shrapnel wounds to the face are not believed to be life threatening. But there likely will be emotional trauma.

That's why Oakland police dropped by with a teddy bear for the young victim, hoping to erase the pain.

Mayor Schaaf says it won't stop there. "We are increasing our law enforcement presence but we are also increasing opportunities for young people to be positively engaged and supported."