There have been 4 Oakland homicides since New Year's Eve after police report of 34% drop in 2024

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Oakland has seen one of its most violent 24-hour periods, with four homicides since New Year's Eve.

It comes as Oakland officials were praising one of the lowest murder rates in years in 2024.

On Monday, Oakland's leaders were praising a drop in the city's homicide rate, now at a five-year low.

"A 34% decrease in the number of homicides to date. A 33% decline in firearm-related shootings," Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced at Monday's press conference.

Then came the four fatalities that occurred since Tuesday morning.

INTERACTIVE: Take a look at the ABC7 Neighborhood Safety Tracker

"What that says to me is that we as a community have a long way to go," said Wanda Johnson.

Johnson held her annual vigil to mark the killing of her son, Oscar Grant, at the hands of BART police officer Johannes Mesherle in 2009. Her work since includes trying to mend the relationship between the Black community and law enforcement--something advocates say is working.

"We have helped improve some of their systems, internal accountability systems, police processes and their policies. So, I think the short answer is 'yes,'" said Russell Bloom, an independent police auditor at BART.

But when it comes to issues of community violence, Johnson says more needs to be done.

"We are still seeing people losing their lives senselessly and up to us to come together as a community and work to bring a healing, especially our young men," she said.

Oakland police say the first fatal shooting was 7 a.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of 14th Street where a 32-year-old father was shot and killed outside his place of work.

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

Willie Bernstine IV of Richmond was shot and killed outside his workplace in Oakland on the morning of New Year's Eve.

Twelve hours later, a man was stabbed to death in the 1900 block of 70th Avenue.

Around 10:15 p.m., a shooting incident near Jack London Square left one dead and three hospitalized.

Then came the first fatality of 2025: a shooting at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday in the 2400 block of 24th Avenue.

These four homicides also come after a father of six was fatally shot in Oakland in front of his 14-year-old son the day after Christmas.

EXCLUSIVE: Oakland dad murdered outside his home as OPD touts crime is down

An Oakland family is pleading for justice after a beloved father of six was fatally shot in front of his 14-year-old son, just a day after Christmas.

"People were feeling optimistic that the homicide rates had significantly gone down," said George Galvis, the executive director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, or CURYJ.

He said that optimism comes from the proven success of violence prevention programs like Ceasefire, which is attributed as the cause of the drop in Oakland's homicides.

"I think we are going to have to harness that energy that we had 16 years ago, and we are going to have to continue to resist to affirm the human dignity of Black and brown people here in this nation," Galvis said.

Oakland Police Department was not available for comment.