Oakland, California – Two 18-year-olds from the Oakland area have been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with a fatal shooting that took place outside a fast food restaurant on January 21st. Court records reveal that the incident resulted in the death of a man in his 20s and left a 19-year-old woman injured but alive after she managed to escape by running and hopping over a fence.
The suspects, identified as Jamal Watts from Oakland and Juliese Lawson from Pacheco, are accused of murdering 28-year-old Kenyetta Chapman from Brentwood and attempting to murder the young woman who was with him. While Watts is currently in custody at Santa Rita Jail awaiting an arraignment in mid-April, Lawson remains at large and is considered a fugitive by the police.
According to authorities, the shooting occurred around 8:30 a.m. while Chapman and the woman were asleep in a car parked outside the restaurant on East 24th Street. A man reportedly approached their vehicle, knocked on the window, returned to his own car, and then opened fire on them. Chapman was fatally shot, but the woman managed to flee and avoid a similar fate by jumping over a fence.
Lawson has been identified as the shooter by police, who allege that he knocked on the car window before receiving a shotgun from Watts, who was in the vicinity. The investigation further revealed that Watts had been questioned by the Oakland police nine days post the shooting in connection with an armed robbery incident where the victim miraculously survived a gunshot due to gardening clippers in his pocket.
Chapman, remembered as a dedicated family man who worked tirelessly to support his loved ones, was mourned at a funeral service held in February at a church in Richmond. The eulogy highlighted his qualities of sweetness, intelligence, and caring nature, painting a picture of a man who was deeply cherished by his family and community.