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Burglary Leads To Retaliatory Drive-By Shooting
Police Believe Gang Related
Oakdale police

Oakdale Police were active Monday, Oct. 31 investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred just after midnight that detectives believe was retaliation for a burglary that had occurred earlier.

Less than two hours before the shooting, police had received several 911 calls about a fight at a fourplex located in the 300 block of S. Third Avenue. When officers arrived, several people were in front of the residence engaged in a physical fight. As a result, four adults, two men and two women, were arrested and subsequently booked for battery, fighting in public and resisting arrest.

Police declined to comment on why the fight occurred.

At 12:21 a.m., police received numerous 911 calls regarding multiple gunshots from the same area. When officers arrived, they found a 20 year Oakdale man who had been shot at least twice, once in his upper thigh and once in his abdomen.

Emergency crews responded and treated the man and he was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Investigators described the injuries as non-life threatening.

Officers spoke with potential witnesses who reported seeing a white Kia and a teal Ford Thunderbird that may have been involved driving north on Third Avenue away from the shooting scene.

Investigators recovered several shell small caliber handgun casings and some bullets from the scene.

According to police, some of the rounds hit two cars parked in the driveway of a duplex at 307 and 309 S. Third Avenue and that at least one of those rounds penetrated a child's bedroom wall. No one in the home was struck by the gunfire.

“There was an earlier burglary allegedly committed by Norteno gne members,” Oakdale Police Detective Sergeant Joe Johnson said. “We believe the burglary victim got his property back from the Nortenos and later retaliated against them with the drive-by shooting.”

Investigators worked throughout the night and later named Michael DeWayne Walker, 32, of Oakdale, as a “person of interest.”

“Walker is involved, but at this point in the investigation we don’t believe he was a shooter,” Sergeant Johnson said.

Sergeant Johnson said that two black males with dreadlocks are also being sought in connection with the incident,

“We’ve had cooperation and lack of cooperation from those we contacted,” Sergeant Johnson said. “Cooperation is nice, but retaliation is always a fear by those contacted in these types of situations.”

Anyone with information regarding this case should contact the Oakdale Police Department or Detective Donald Stilwell at 209-847-223