Brother Accused of Shooting, Killing Sister in Oakland

Oakland police are investigating the deadly shooting of a 17-year-old girl. Officers say the shooter is her 14-year-old brother.

And on Friday, Oakland police spokeswoman Johnna Watson called him "armed and dangerous."

Police have identified the victim as 17-year-old Justice Toliver, a young mother survived by her 2-year-old daughter.

Police were still looking for Toliver's younger brother, Mario Toliver Jr., Thursday night. His family is urging him to turn himself in. Watson said a gun was used to kill Justice Toliver and that police had yet to recover the weapon.

Officers found the girl inside the family's apartment, on the 800 block of Franklin Street, in Oakland's Chinatown district around 12:15 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

A 22-year-old woman who identified herself as a cousin of those involved told Bay City News the boy was mad at his sister for bleaching his clothes.

Toliver's cousin Greg Stewart also said the brother and sister argued inside their apartment before the shooting. Stewart said he isn't sure where the 14-year-old suspect got a gun, but he says he is not surprised he had one.

“Even if he wasn't my family member, I wouldn't be surprised if young kids carry guns,” Stewart said. “That's the nature of what they do and what's at stake in this day and age being from here.”

Oakland police haven't confirmed a motive.

Police said they received a call at 12:17 p.m. reporting the shooting and when officers responded they found a female who was suffering from a gunshot wound.

Paramedics were summoned to the scene but Justice Toliver was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

“Justice was a beautiful young lady,” said Mario Toliver, Sr., her father. “She was a young mother. She just wanted to be there for her daughter.”

Oakland police said their investigation into the shooting is ongoing and anyone with information about it should call their homicide section at (510) 238-3821.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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