A 45-year-old Indian American was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in California, prompting police to announce a USD 10,000 reward money for information leading to the arrest of the killer. SF Gate reported earlier today, Oct 8, that Oakland police investigators have identified a 23-year-old man ‘Joevan Lopez’ for shooting 45-year-old Jasvir Singh. Lopez was described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 158 pounds, with dreadlocks.

Jasvir Singh was fatally shot inside his ice-cream van on Saturday in California’s Oakland city, San Jose Mercury News reported. According to residents of the locality, a gunman approached Mr Singh, shot him inside his van and ran away through the backyards.

Local residents described the horror of the broad day-light killing and expressed their fears of rising crimes on the streets of Oakland city.

“I don’t understand why someone would murder our ice cream man,” said Paula, a nearby resident.

“I heard five shots and came to my front door. I just feel really bad; he was doing his job, and now he’s gone,” she added.

“There is something especially poignant when someone engaged in a positive and innocent act — like painting a mural or driving an ice cream truck — falls victim to senseless violence,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement.
Police were told that Mr Singh immigrated to the US 17 years ago, was unmarried and had a 13-year-old daughter. He was a resident of Marysville, but also lived in the East Bay area.

Singh was the second man killed last week while working on an Oakland street. Artist Antonio Ramos was fatally shot on Tuesday while painting a mural in West Oakland. So far this year, Oakland has recorded 74 homicides – 15 more than at the same point last year.