WREG.com

VIDEO: Couple has close call as stray bullet goes through window on freeway

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the interstate where the shooting occurred. This has been updated.

(KRON) — A California couple caught in the crossfire of a freeway shooting are grateful to have escaped injury.


Garrett Mason and his fiancé were leaving Oakland, California, on their way to Pleasanton on I-580 a couple of weeks ago when a stray bullet entered the front passenger window and exited the back window. The bullet narrowly missed them both, and it was caught on video.

“I noticed the vehicle in front, their passenger got outside of their window, basically were sitting in their passenger side window facing backwards, and then literally a second later, you hear about four gunshots, I believe, one of which went through the window of this vehicle,” said Mason.

Mason said the stray bullet entered his passenger side window, just barely missing his fiancé, and exited out the back window. He said it was a close call, but neither was injured.

Mason said he saw the two suspect vehicles minutes before the shooting began in broad daylight.

“We were approaching the freeway. A vehicle cut us off at a four-way stop, and at that point, as we got onto the on-ramp, I noticed the vehicle behind me was also on my tail. Those two vehicles then broke off and bobbed and weaved through the traffic,” said Mason.

He said the suspect shot at a black Mercedes car from a smaller white car, possibly a Hyundai.

“Initially, the guy getting shot at, his car might have been hit because in the video, you can see his swerves quite heavily, but that could be him just trying to dodge the car in front of him,” said Mason.

Mason said he filed a police report and is not aware of any other cars affected.

Amid rising freeway shootings, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced that Alameda and Contra Costa counties would receive dozens of freeway cameras in the fall.