Possible gunfire during catalytic converter theft in Berkeley
The report came in around 10:30 p.m. in the area of Ashby Avenue and Acton Street, police said.
Police are investigating a report of gunfire during a catalytic converter theft in West Berkeley on Friday night.
No injuries were reported.
The report came in around 10:30 p.m. in the area of Ashby Avenue and Acton Street, Berkeley police said.
Officers responded to the area to see what they could find. They are still trying to determine whether a gun was fired or only brandished, police said Friday night.
Multiple people heard gunfire, police said, but no evidence of gunfire had been found.
That investigation is underway.
There have been nearly 800 catalytic converter thefts in Berkeley this year, compared to nearly 600 in 2021.
Emilie Raguso
Berkeley has had four confirmed incidents this year involving gunfire during catalytic converter thefts or theft attempts: one on Hillcrest Road (near Eucalyptus Road) in mid-June; one in the 1800 block of Fourth Street in July; one at Oak Street and Glen Avenue in early October; and one on King Street, near Harmon Street, in late October.
That same month, a man was shot and killed in Oakland during a catalytic converter theft there, according to reports on SFGate and other Bay Area news outlets.
Berkeley has had about 50 confirmed shootings or gunfire reports in 2022.
Berkeley is on track to have about the same number of shootings this year as last year, but this year has been much more violent.
Three people have been killed and 16 wounded in 2022.
Shootings in 2021 wounded seven people. No one was killed.
Shootings and gunfire reports have been on the rise in Berkeley since 2017, when there were 15. The next year saw 19 and the following year saw 28.
In 2020, shooting and gunfire reports rose to 39 — mirroring a nationwide spike — followed by about 50 in 2021 and 2022.
