OAKLAND — Two suspects have been charged in the murder of a man who was wounded in a shootout that erupted during a sideshow taking place a few blocks from Franklin Elementary School in East Oakland.
Police announced Wednesday that prosecutors had charged 20-year-old Leonardo Perez Baltazar and a juvenile in the death of Ethan Pereira, 20, of Sunnyvale.
Pereira had been watching the sideshow that evening at the corner of 10th Avenue and East 12th Street when an Infiniti G37S struck another spectator, leading the man and another person to begin firing at the vehicle. Pereira was hit by bullets, rushed to a hospital and declared dead later that night.
Police did not provide more details Wednesday about Baltazar and the juvenile suspect, who have also been charged with firearm-related offenses in Pereira’s death. Police did not name the juvenile because of his age.
Pereira was identified five days after his death by a body tattoo that matched records. Authorities recovered one rifle and three pistols during the arrest of the two suspects.
The shooting on Jan. 26 led officers down a rabbit hole that began with the bullet-riddled Infiniti left behind in the sideshow-shooting and ended with the discovery of a nearby gambling den full of drugs, guns and illegal slot machines.
Pereira was described as a native of India by a newspaper, O Heraldo, based in the state of Goa, which said the 20-year-old had relocated to the U.S. more than a decade ago and was laid to rest Feb. 11 in Santa Clara.
Baltazar and the juvenile suspect are being held in custody, authorities said.
Shomik Mukherjee is a reporter covering Oakland. Call or text him at 510-905-5495 or email him at shomik@bayareanewsgroup.com.