Oakland, California – Two 18-year-olds, Jamal Watts of Oakland and Juliese Lawson of Pacheco, have been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred outside a local fast food restaurant on January 21. The shooting resulted in the death of 28-year-old Kenyetta Chapman from Brentwood and the injury of a 19-year-old woman who managed to escape by running and hopping over a fence.
According to court records, Chapman and the young woman were inside a car parked outside the fast food restaurant on East 24th Street in Oakland when they were approached by a man who later opened fire on them. The investigation revealed that Lawson was identified as the shooter, with authorities alleging that Watts handed him the shotgun used in the shooting.
On January 30, Watts was questioned by Oakland police in connection to an armed robbery incident where a victim was shot but miraculously saved by gardening clippers in their shirt pocket. Watts was not arrested at that time. Chapman, described as a family-oriented man known for his ambition and caring nature, was laid to rest in February at a church in Richmond.
Watts is currently held in Santa Rita Jail with an arraignment scheduled for mid-April, while Lawson remains at large and is considered a fugitive by law enforcement. The shooting has left the community shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of Chapman and the violence that took place outside the fast food restaurant. The investigation continues as authorities work to bring justice to the victims and their families.