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Crime News: 16 injured in county fair shooting

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Hoover, J.E.

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Jul 5, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/5/98

16 injured in county fair shooting
Sunday July 5 6:42 PM EDT

PLEASANTON, Calif., July 5 (UPI) - Police say eight people were shot and
eight others trampled when a lone gunman apparently opened fire at the
Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif., during a Fourth of July
celebration.

Fair spokesman Al Amador says the crowd of about 5,000 patrons was
gathered in the carnival area of the fairgrounds during the 8:20 p.m.
shooting.

Pleasanton sheriff's Lt. Dave Hoig said the eight gunshot victims,
including three children ages 8, 13, and 15, sustained non-life
threatening injuries.

Hoig said the suspect, 22-year-old Jamal Desmond Johnson, was arrested
after a retired San Francisco transit police officer followed him and
pointed him out to a deputy.

Johnson allegedly had stowed the 9mm semiautomatic weapon used in the
shooting into his
waistband after spraying the crowd, and calmly walked in the opposite
direction from the panicked crowd.

Hoig said the deputy and retired officer subdued Johnson as he tried to
jump a fence surrounding the fairground.

Johnson has been booked on eight counts of attempted manslaughter and is
being held without bail. He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.

Hoig said investigators have not been able to determine a motive, and
have not connected any of the victims with Johnson.

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