Funeral Held for 3-Year-Old Killed in Drive By

A private funeral was held Tuesday morning for 3-year-old Carlos Nava at an East Oakland church near where the toddler was killed in a drive-by shooting last week.

Carlos was with family members when he was shot in the 6400 block of International Boulevard at about 1:10 p.m. on Aug. 8.

Oakland police said they believe the shooting was gang-related and that two men nearby who were wounded in the shooting were the intended targets.

On his way into the funeral service Tuesday morning at St. Bernard's Church on 62nd Avenue, Oakland City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente said Carlos' death means city leaders need to alter their approach.
      
"It's time to do more than just talk about crime and start taking action," De La Fuente said.

He said the city should consider taking steps including imposing curfews on young people and seeking more injunctions against gangs. Two such injunctions are already in place.

De La Fuente said Oakland has had nearly 75 homicides this year, a number that he said is "unacceptable."

Two people have been arrested in connection with the shooting. Police said they believe the shooter was 26-year-old Lawrence Denard, of Oakland, who was arrested in Pittsburg on Aug. 9.

A second man, 22-year-old Oakland resident Willie Torrence, was taken into custody late Friday night in Las Vegas. Police believe he was the driver.