Oakland

‘There Is Deep Sadness': Community Searching for Answers After Oakland School Shooting

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This week's school shooting adds to recent violent crimes in Oakland, leaving many in the community searching for answers.

Several of the families whose children go to school at the King Estate campus spent Thursday sharing their thoughts with advocates who are searching for the keys to stopping the violence.

"There is deep sadness in the community in this moment," Assembly member Mia Bonta said.

Bonta is among those working for change and said she has heard from several families since Wednesday's shooting at the campus that left six adults injured.

"What I will take away most from the conversations that I've had over the last 24 hours is we want our kids to be safe, we want our kids to be able to learn, we want our schools to be places of safety," Bonta said. "And I think parents are yearning for that."

Bonta said one key was a call for the school district, public safety, community organizations and elected leaders to come together, rather than try to fight the problem individually.

"I think the community deserves to have as much as possible transparency in the collaboration so people feel a part of the solution," Bonta said.

Bonta has highlighted one effort -- the announcement of a new Office of Gun Violence Prevention through the State Attorney General's Office.

The shooting comes amid a wave of gun violence in Oakland, including nine homicides in the past 10 days.

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