Melvin C. Johnson Jr., 39, was fatally shot on December 27, 2016, in East Oakland. According to reports he was driving on 89th Avenue when shot, then managed to drive to the 8500 block of MacArthur Boulevard and crashed into parked cars near Castlemont High School. Police responding after a ShotSpotter alert performed CPR at the scene; Johnson later died at a hospital. No arrests have been announced and the motive remains unclear.

The shooting compounded a series of family tragedies. Johnson had lost his son Andrew Drew Thomas and grandson Drew Leon Deon Jackson to a fatal shooting in August 2013; that case remains unsolved and a reward was offered. Johnson’s 8-year-old son Jahmel T. Johnson died in November 2016 after a battle with lymphoma. Family members described Johnson as a devoted family man and a local clothing-business owner known as Drewski Designs.

Anyone who knew Melvin or who has information about the December 27 shooting is asked to come forward.