Police seek help with Oakland homicide

Oakland police and the FBI asked Tuesday for the public’s help in finding the suspect or suspects in the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old man with a disability at a bus stop near the Oakland-Berkeley border in February.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bertram Fairries said at a news conference at Oakland police headquarters that Patrick Scott Jr. was “an innocent victim” who was shot while waiting in the 6200 block of Market Street at about 10:50 a.m. on Feb. 3 for a bus to his grandmother’s home.

Scott’s mother Carol Jones drove him to a nearby hospital but he was pronounced dead there a short time later.

Fairries said:

“There was no reason for this killing.”

Joining Fairries at the news conference, Oakland police homicide investigator Michael Jaeger said Scott “didn’t do anything to deserve what happened.”

Jaeger said Scott was a reserved person who stayed home a lot.

However, Jaeger said police believe Scott was the intended target of the shooting based on evidence that was recovered at the scene.

Jaeger said police aren’t releasing a description of the suspect or suspects at this time.

Fairries said the FBI and Oakland Crime Stoppers are offering a reward totaling $30,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Jones, who said she suffers from sleepless nights, said Scott was born with a disability but declined to elaborate.

Jones said her son “was a good boy who was never in trouble and was living his life” at the time he was shot.

She said she’s worked tirelessly to find the people responsible for Scott’s death and has distributed about 1,500 fliers about the case so far in her neighborhood and at local churches.

Asked by reporters what she would like to say to the suspect in the case, Jones said:

“I know what you did was wrong but if you have a guilty conscience it’s best to turn yourself in.”

She added:

“I don’t hate you. No one is perfect and I forgive you for what you did to my child … Do the right thing and turn yourself in.”

Authorities said people who have information about the case should call the Oakland police homicide unit at (510) 238-3821 or the FBI’s San Francisco division at (510) 553-7400.