RICHMOND — Two men were killed and another wounded in two shootings on Monday about 80 minutes apart, police said.
The two who were shot fatally both were in their 30s and from Richmond. A 65-year-old man was in stable condition at a hospital.
The two homicides are the 16th and 17th investigated by Richmond police this year. Last year, the city’s 17th homicide wasn’t recorded until Oct. 9; this year’s tally now stands one shy of the city’s 2021 total.
There have been three fatal shootings in the city since Saturday and four since Aug. 16. Police on Monday arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with the fatal Saturday shooting of a 33-year-old still unidentified Hayward man.
The violence Monday began about 4 p.m. Richmond police spokesman Sgt. Aaron Pomeroy said officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation at 5th Street and Macdonald Avenue and found two people down on the street when they arrived.
According to Pomeroy, more than 40 rounds were fired in what investigators believe was a drive-by shooting. A 30-year-old authorities later identified as Brandell Baker was pronounced dead at the scene, and the 65-year-old was airlifted to a trauma center. The older man was expected to survive his injuries, Pomeroy said.
The shooting may have been retaliation for a fatal shooting Aug. 16 on Aberdeen Way, Pomeroy said. That shooting killed 32-year-old Antonio Wright.
The second shooting Monday happened about 5:20 p.m. in the 2400 block of Macdonald Avenue, a mile east of the first shooting. Officers responded after receiving a ShotSpotter activation as well as 911 calls, Pomeroy said.
Officers at the first shooting scene went to the second one and found a 35-year-old down.
Police said the man had a gunshot wound to his stomach and that two vehicles and upwards of six suspects may be involved.
An ambulance rushed the man to a hospital after paramedics worked on him at the scene, but he died at the hospital. Authorities identified the man as Boonsouk Pilavanh, of Richmond.
Det. Michael Sagan is investigating the first Monday homicide and Det. Brian Hoffman is investigating the second one. Police urged anyone with information of those respective shootings to contact Sagan at 510-620-6622 and Hoffman at 510-620-1755. Tips can be left anonymously at 510-307-8177.
