OAKLAND — A 22-year-old man fatally shot while driving in East Oakland Dec. 31 was identified by police Thursday as Donald Smith Jr.
Police said no motive has been determined for the killing and no arrests have been made.
Smith, of Oakland, was initially thought to have died from injuries suffered in a traffic wreck but it turned out he had been shot about 1:20 p.m. Dec. 31 as he drove in the 8800 block of International Boulevard.
Police have not said if they believe he was shot by someone in another vehicle or by someone on the sidewalk.
He crashed into another vehicle in the 8600 block of International and was taken to Highland Hospital. The driver of the other vehicle was not hurt.
Smith was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital but it was not until the next day when Alameda County coroner’s deputies came to remove the body for an autopsy that the bullet wound was discovered.
No one has yet been able to explain exactly why the bullet wound was not discovered when he first arrived at the hospital, authorities said.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $10,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the killer. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or 510-238-7950 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.