Jasper Wu’s Mother Makes Desperate Plea After Toddler Killed By Stray Bullet On Highway
Bernd Becker 
The mother of a toddler killed in an accidental shooting on the side of the highway last week made an emotional plea for help with her newborn son. She said she was doing everything that could to cope, but it’s just not enough.
(KPIX-TV) FREMONT, Calif. – The mother of Jasper Wu, who was killed by a stray bullet during a motorway shooting on I-880 in Oakland over the weekend, fought back tears as she appealed to the public to help “identify the perpetrators.”
Next month, Jasper would have been two years old. Cherry An, his mother, is now preparing his burial instead of his birthday party. “I’m at a loss for words.” It suddenly occurred out of nowhere. Through an interpreter, An added, “I don’t even know how to respond to this disaster.”
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Jasper Wu, a victim of a motorway shooting in Oakland (CBS)
On Saturday afternoon, Jasper was murdered in a gun duel on Interstate 880 in Oakland. His father, who lives and works in China, was never able to meet him. They’d converse on the phone using FaceTime. “When Jasper recognized his father, he’d shout out, ‘Daddy! Daddy!’ He was a wonderful young man. “He didn’t cry very much,” An observed.
His father landed at San Francisco Airport late Monday night from China. COVID travel limitations, according to the family, stopped them from seeing one other. On Saturday, Jasper’s mother was traveling southbound on I-880 in a white Lexus with relatives on their way to Fremont, where they reside.
In the rear seat, there were three children. A single gunshot struck Jasper, who was in his car seat, as they approached downtown Oakland, according to the family. He was airlifted to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Jasper’s grandma recalled her grandson’s grin when she spoke about him. The kid’s grandma described him as “such a sunny, open, and energetic youngster.”
Jasper’s family received flowers and condolences from Fremont Mayor Lily Mei on Monday. She also said emphatically that this kind of brutality must end. “What a tragedy in terms of an innocent life lost.” “We need people to speak out and say this isn’t right,” Mei said.
Late Monday afternoon, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) held a news conference to discuss their investigation into the incident. Authorities did disclose one critical new insight, albeit they did not provide any details about suspected suspects. According to CHP Capt. Mike Lehman, “the inquiry led to evidence indicating the rounds fired likely originated on the northbound side of Interstate 880 and impacted the victim’s car at random.”
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CHP has asked anybody driving on I-880 in the Oakland region on Saturday afternoon to examine their dash camera footage to see if they recorded any photos relevant to the incident.
In a taped press conference on the incident on Monday, Lehman did not dispute a reporter’s claim that there had been 76 gunshots on Oakland freeways in the last 12 months, but he claimed that the public should feel comfortable driving on the city’s roadways.
“The reason you should feel comfortable is the odds of this occurring are not high,” Lehman answered when questioned by the same reporter about why people should feel safe given the facts.
Jasper’s mother also made an emotional appeal for justice. “I’d like to appeal to the public for assistance in locating the murderers,” An stated. “I don’t want another individual to experience such a catastrophe.”
Detectives have not revealed any information about the suspects or a motive. A dark-colored Chrysler 300 was one of the suspicious vehicles, according to KPIX-TV in San Francisco. The family is pleading for anybody who observed the incident to contact police as soon as possible.
A vigil was held on Market and 7th Streets in Oakland, underneath the I-880 flyover, where Jasper was killed by a gunshot. Candles, flowers, plush animals, and sweets were placed in the boy’s memory by mourners.
To assist the family, the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce has launched a GoFundMe page.
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The GoFundMe campaign has received more than $72,000 as of Tuesday morning, more than double its $35,000 target. Please contact the CHP investigative tip line at (707) 917-4491 if you have any information concerning the incident.
