7 injured after hit by car near Fox Theater in Oakland; police looking for driver

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Seven pedestrians in Oakland were hospitalized after being struck by a car that went onto the sidewalk near the Fox Theater in Uptown neighborhood.

Six adults and a juvenile were struck in the 500 block of 18th Street at about 1:30 a.m. by a driver who had driven onto the sidewalk following reports of a nearby fight, according to a statement from the Oakland Police Department.

All victims were taken to a hospital and were in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon.

By Saturday evening, broken pieces from a car headlight still liter 18th street in Downtown Oakland.

"I know First Fridays, it gets loud," says Teni Adegbite, who lives a block away. "I hear a lot of things. I hear gunshots. It gets a little crazy sometimes."

Oakland police some of the people were allegedly targeted by the driver. Five of them have since been released from the hospital.

Police arrested two people attempting to flee the scene and recovered two firearms. The driver also fled on foot, leaving the car behind. Police say they have leads on the driver and expect an arrest to be made soon.

"It's horrible! What that person did was disgusting. And I hope they are charged and caught. And I feel terribly for those people who were hurt. They came down to Oakland to have a good time," says Sean Sullivan, owns the bar Fluid 510, two blocks from where the pedestrians were hit.

He supports the First Fridays block parties. He says the city's increased safety measures for the downtown on the weekends is helping. That includes stricter parking enforcement and more patrols by police and community ambassadors.

"You could see a better strategy being implemented by OPD. The mayor was here, out at First Fridays in the early part of the evening, so that is great. Our mayor is on the street. Visible. Aware of what's going on," says Sullivan.

But several recent shootings on the weekends is putting pressure on law makers to consider canceling the First Fridays.

"I don't think it's fair to just put this on First Fridays, but we do have to address the fact there are a lot more people who come to Oakland, to visit Oakland, on that date," explains Oakland City Council Member Carroll Fife. Her district includes downtown.

Fife says First Fridays is a great way to bring people to Oakland. She points out that the violent incidents have occurred outside of First Fridays hours, which ends at 9:30 p.m. But adds, more is necessary

"I am hearing from individuals who say we need more youth programs so we have positive spaces for young people to engage. But then I am also hearing people who are like, you should just end First Fridays," says Fife.

Council Member Fife will hold a town hall about safety concerns and First Fridays at the Oakland School for the Arts on June 3.

Anyone with information about the driver or the nearby fight at 18th Street and Telegraph Avenue was asked to contact the Oakland Police Department at (510) 238-3426. Video can be sent to cidvideos@oaklandca.gov.

Bay City News contributed to this report