Richmond father killed outside Oakland workplace on New Year's Eve, family says

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The family of 32-year-old Willie Bernstine IV is grieving after the father of two babies was fatally shot while walking into work early New Year's Eve morning.

Bernstine was walking into his job at Auto-Chlor, a commercial dishwashing supplier near 14th and Poplar Streets, around 7 a.m. when gunfire erupted.

ABC7 found there were at least 26 shell casings at the scene.

"He wasn't a statistic," said his mother, Leah Freeman. "He wasn't standing on a corner. He went to work."

Family members described Bernstine, known as "Mistah Man," as a loving father with a bright spirit.

"He was a light," Freeman said. "Everybody loved him. He was goofy, laughed a lot, and trusted easily. Even if you had a problem with him, it was easy to make amends."

His mother-in-law nodded in agreement.

Police have released few details about the case, but multiple sources tell ABC7 News that it may have been a targeted attack and that a vehicle was seen fleeing the scene.

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Freeman expressed her determination to find justice for her son, pointing to nearby security cameras that she believes could help identify the shooter.

"Vengeance is mine, says the Lord," she said. "Whoever did this isn't getting away."

The family is leaning on their faith to cope with the loss.

"I feel sorry for the person who did it," Freeman said. "He has a praying mom. God warns her when something is coming."

As the new year begins, Bernstine's family sends a message to the community:

"Hug your babies, cover them with prayer," Freeman said. "Talk to your sons. Tell them the damage they're doing to their own race and stop. Stop."

There is no word yet on who the shooter might be. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department.

A GoFundMe page has been created for Bernstine's family. For more information, click here.