Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced on Tuesday that Joshua Ballard, 23, has been charged with firing shots at a crowded Oakland restaurant and committing two murders outside a San Leandro gym. The incident at the In-N-Out burger occurred on September 3, where Ballard allegedly got into a fight with two customers before firing two rounds into the eatery. One innocent bystander was struck in the ankle. Ballard fled the scene, leaving behind an unregistered “ghost gun” that was later discovered by the police.
Ballard is also facing charges for two murders that took place in the parking lot outside 24-Hour Fitness Bayfair in San Leandro. The first murder occurred on September 14, followed by the second murder on September 24. In both cases, the victims were found dead in their vehicles with gunshot wounds to the head. Price stated that the victims were killed during carjackings committed by Ballard.
Price expressed concern over the easy access to guns in Alameda County, particularly “ghost guns,” and emphasized her commitment to reducing such access. Ballard was apprehended on October 17 in San Leandro while armed with a semiautomatic handgun. He now faces multiple charges, including assault with a semiautomatic firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, carrying a loaded firearm in a city, murder, carjacking, and second-degree robbery.
