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Oak Park family tells Sacramento council of March 25 shooting that left child traumatized; callers urge more victim support
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Summary
During public comment at the council meeting, multiple family members and community leaders described a March 25 shooting in Oak Park that wounded relatives and left a 4‑year‑old traumatized; speakers urged more outreach, coordinated services and city accountability.
Several people used the council's public‑comment period to describe the human toll of a March 25 shooting in Oak Park and to press city leaders for better victim support and coordinated community response.
Cassel Wilson described returning home the day after the shooting and finding family members injured: "We were gunned down getting out the vehicle... My son is running for his life, and I watched my 4‑year‑old nephew lie on the porch in sheer terror," Wilson said. Dawn Wilson, the child’s mother, told the council the family remains displaced and has had no meaningful outreach from the city or police: "My son thought he was going to die... We have no answers. I can't tell him anything and I'm looking y'all in the face and we don't even have resources."
Family members and community organizers urged the council to provide quicker, trauma‑informed support, to coordinate with community‑based organizations that already have trust in the neighborhood and to ensure impacted families receive housing, therapy and financial assistance. Julius Thibodeaux Hassan, executive director of Movement for Life, said trusted local groups are essential to explaining prosecutorial decisions and preventing retaliation in the aftermath of violent incidents.
Context and council response: Commenters said they have received little or no follow‑up from city agencies and asked for a more proactive victim‑support system that includes rapid outreach, counseling and pathways to safe housing. The transcript records expressions of sympathy from council members during the public comment period, but it does not include a formal staff response or immediate allocation of resources; the family and organizers asked staff to follow up after the meeting.
Why it matters: The speakers framed the incident not only as a criminal act but as an example of gaps in the city's victim‑support and violence‑prevention systems. They asked for sustained engagement and better coordination between city departments and community‑based organizations, arguing that ad‑hoc or infrequent support leaves victims without essential services.
What families asked for: rapid outreach; counseling for children and caregivers; assistance with temporary housing and securing properties; and a formal pathway for community‑based organizations to be integrated into post‑incident response.
Next steps: The transcript shows the issue was raised during public comment; no formal actions were adopted at the meeting. Families and advocates indicated they will pursue follow‑up with council offices and community programs and seek direct engagement with staff and public‑safety agencies.
