
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. –
A woman walking with her boyfriend and dogs in San Leandro along East 14th Street was shot and killed by a shooter driving a dark sedan at the intersection of Williams Street around 11:10 p.m. Thursday night, according to San Leandro Police investigators.
Security camera footage
What we know:
Security camera footage showed the woman walking hand-in-hand with her boyfriend and dogs just minutes before the shooting, about one block away from the shooting site.
From another camera, you see them reach the intersection of East 14th and Williams Street, and a dark sedan coming down Williams Street. The car stops briefly at the stop sign, then pulls into the intersection. In the video, it briefly stops, then someone falls to the ground. The car drives off.
Police say the boyfriend and the two dogs were not injured.
When officers arrived, they found the victim had been shot in the torso.
“We found an adult female victim suffering from what appeared to be a single gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local area hospital. Unfortunately, she did succumb to her injuries there,” San Leandro police Lt. Abe Teng said.
Investigators say they put out a description of the vehicle, and within an hour, Dublin Police arrested a suspect, Rohith Sunil, 21, of San Jose, in a black Mercedes. Sunil was taken to Santa Rita jail and booked on a murder charge.
“A handgun was used in last night’s shooting and Dublin Police Services did recover a firearm during their independent investigation,” San Leandro police Lieutenant Matthew Barajas said.
Police say there is no evidence so far of any connection or previous contact between the victim and the shooter prior to the incident.
Neither the woman killed or her boyfriend have been identified. Police did not say if the woman lived in the area.
The dogs were taken to a shelter.
Neighbors shocked
What they’re saying:
People walking their dogs in the area said it was a shock.
“I’d never even thought about a dog-walker or a person walking a family dog that this might happen to,” Hildie Spritzer said.
“It’s just real sad, but my prayers are going to the family. Mental health is real. I don’t know why someone would do that,” Adrian Scott said.
“Innocent people shouldn’t be killed like this, because they’re walking their dogs and minding their own business,” Joseph Sanchez said.
A similar incident
Just last month, on June 14, another dog-walker was found shot and killed also on East 14th, about one mile away from Thursday’s incident.
Police say Andre Thomas Williams, 49, was arrested in the killing of 47-year-old Ryan M. Christie. Police say the suspect and victim in that case knew each other and were seen together before Christie’s death. Police say Williams is still in custody.
Lt. Barajas says there is no evidence of any connection between the two killings.
“We don’t believe there is any connection. It’s two unfortunate circumstances or incidents that happened with somewhat similar circumstances. We are certain in saying to the community there is no nexus between these two incidents,” Lt. Barajas said.
KTVU’s Devin Trubey contributed to this story