An Alameda County Sheriff's Office recruit died in a freeway shooting Tuesday afternoon in Oakland, the department said.
The shooting happened in the area of Interstate 580 and Interstate 80 around 4:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
When officers arrived, they saw the victim, who was driving home from work, had been shot. He was transported to the hospital, where he later died, officials said.
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"We are heartbroken and disturbed by this senseless act of gun violence," the sheriff's office said on Twitter.
The new recruit was set to graduate from the academy in February and begin a new career in law enforcement. The Alameda County Coroner had to tell the family he wasn't coming home.
“Today it hit home, they have to call his parents and tell them he isn't coming,” Sgt. J. D. Nelson said. “Very tough day.”
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Nelson said the man’s parents, sister and girlfriend were part of a procession from the hospital to the Coroner’s Office.
NBC Bay Area learned that the victim was in an unmarked car and not in uniform.
A sheriff's department spokesperson said the recruit was likely driving home to San Francisco from the academy in Dublin when he was shot. The CHP initially thought it was an accident, but then saw the driver -- the only person in the car was shot and dead.
They also found paperwork indicating he was an Alameda County Sheriff recruit.
The transition from westbound I-580 to westbound I-80 was shut down for a couple of hours for the investigation.
All lanes reopened at 7:43 p.m..
The CHP and the Oakland Police Department are investigating the deadly freeway shooting. A motive is unclear at this point.
The shooting happened near another deadly freeway shooting in November that killed Amani Morris of Antioch. Someone shot into the car she was in near the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza
Her children and fiancé were in the car witnessing the killing.
