Over a year after Jasper Wu was fatally struck by a stray bullet on a California freeway, three people have been arrested and charged in the toddler's death, prosecutors announced.
Jasper, 23 months, was killed when his family driving on Interstate 880 in Oakland got caught in the crossfire of rival gangs engaged in a “rolling gun battle” on Nov. 6, 2021, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said in a news conference.
The district attorney's office announced Thursday the arrests of Trevor Green, 22, Ivory Bivins, 24, and Johnny Jackson, 34, each charged with murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Bivens and Green are further charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and criminal street gang conspiracy, prosecutors said.
O'Malley explained that the men were part of rival gangs from San Francisco and were shooting at each other while on the freeway.
Green and Bivins were driving a dark Infiniti vehicle while Jackson and another man named Keison Lee, were in a dark gray Nissan Altima.
One shot fired from the Infiniti missed the Altima, and the bullet traveled across the highway into oncoming southbound traffic — and sailed through the windshield of the car Jasper was in.
Jasper was fast asleep in his carseat in the back of his family’s vehicle when the bullet “came through the front windshield at an angle” and struck him in the head, O’Malley said. He died instantly.
“This is the worst nightmare and outcome of gun violence, and especially gang gun violence, that innocent people are quite literally caught in the crossfire. But, the horrific nightmare for the Wu family and their baby being killed in such a senseless and violent manner can never be reconciled,” O’Malley said.
The lengthy investigation saw California Highway Patrol investigators recover cartridge cases on the freeway lanes, and determine the bullet that killed Jasper was consistent with those recovered.
CHP investigators also talked to Lee, who was shot in the lower back in the gunfire exchange and hospitalized in San Francisco. His hands were tested for gunshot residue, which proved positive, and he admitted during interviews that he was shot on the freeway, O'Malley said.
Investigators recovered the Nissan Altima, described as ridden with bullet holes and found a spent .40-caliber cartridge case inside. The Infiniti vehicle was also found and tested positive for gunshot residue.
Green and Bivins were arrested on warrants for an incident in Contra Costa County in March 2022, and will be transferred to Alameda County to face these charges.
Jackson was also arrested Wednesday on a warrant and is expected to be arraigned Friday morning.
Lee died in November 2022, shot and killed in what’s believed to be gang warfare, O’Malley said.
Lawyer information for the men was not immediately available.
Jasper’s father spoke briefly at the Thursday news conference, and his message was translated by Carl Chan, the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
“It was for them mixed feelings. First thing is first, they were very happy and excited to see this press conference of this case, but at the same time they feel like this is bringing back the memory of day one of what happened,” Chan said.
Jason Reardon, the assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol, said the exhaustive investigation is ongoing.
“To those who use state highway system as a place to commit shootings and other acts of violent crime, know this: the CHP will not relent. We will go through any lengths within the law to find you and hold you account table for your actions,” he said.
Speaking to the Wu family he said, "although nothing will replace little Jasper, I hope you will take some solace in the fact that those responsible will have to answer for what they did and that justice will be served.”
