The suspects, several of whom have prior convictions, include Lebraun Tyree Wallace, 28, of San Mateo; Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney, 20, of Marin City; Jason D. Iles, 20, of Marin City; and Shamron Joshua Mitchell, 30, of Antioch. All were arrested on charges of murder and conspiracy and are being held without bail, the sheriff's office said. The fifth suspect, Devin Isiah Williamson, 21, of Vallejo, the promoter of the event, was charged as an accessory and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
"It’s important to note that this investigation is still in its earliest stages," Livingston told reporters on Friday, adding that additional arrests are more than likely as authorities conduct ongoing forensic work. "We do have people in custody, but we know there are others we are seeking now."
The arrests come nearly two weeks after the shooting, which occurred close to 11 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, at an Airbnb rental on Lucille Way, where an estimated 100 people had gathered for the party. Until now, law enforcement officials had revealed little information about the deadly incident.
Victims included Tiyon Farley, 22, of Antioch; Omar Taylor, 24, of Pittsburg; Raymon Hill, Jr., 23, of San Francisco and Oakland; Javlin County, 29, of Sausalito and Richmond; and Oshiana Tompkins, 19, of Vallejo and Hercules. At least four other people were injured.
"We haven’t nailed down the exact motive yet, but I believe in due course we will," Livingston said. He noted that members of different Bay Area gangs attended the party, including two of the victims — Hill and County – both of whom were armed and had "extensive criminal histories" and affiliations with gangs in San Francisco and Marin City, respectively. Videos obtained from the event showed that many attendees entered the party carrying firearms, even after being patted down by a security guard at the door who had been seen "drinking Hennessy throughout the evening," he said.
At the time of massacre, Orinda's only two patrol officers on duty had been in Oakland recovering a stolen car and didn’t arrive at the scene until 10 minutes afterwards, by which point the assailants had already fled, according to call logs obtained by the Mercury News. The logs show that no Orinda officers were patrolling the streets of the city for at least two hours beforehand, even as several residents called to complain of the loud party.
But when asked about the delayed police response, Livingston was quick to deflect blame.
"The blame rests specifically on the individuals that carried guns into the party, pulled the trigger and murdered someone. That’s who should be blamed," he said. "For this event it came down to gang members shooting and killing people."
Investigators believe the incident started in the kitchen and involved multiple shooters, he said, describing a chaotic scene with bullet casings everywhere. "In my 32 years of law enforcement, I have never seen a homicide scene like this, ever. It was a bloodbath inside the home."
The mass shooting shook the community of Orinda, a small, quiet East Bay suburb.
"It's a horrific event that occurred in our community, and we hope these arrests will start the process of some level of healing, if that's possible," said Orinda Mayor Inga Miller. "Our hearts go out to families and people affected. ... A sense of safety was shattered and these arrests will hopefully bring back that feeling of safety in the neighborhood."
Miller added that although sheriff's officials worked doggedly on the case over the last two weeks, many of her constituents felt in the dark because of the tight-lipped nature of the investigation.
"This is something concrete that residents can see," she said.
Miller also noted that the City Council is considering an ordinance to temporarily ban short-term, unhosted housing rentals in the city until more safeguards are put in place. The council plans to take up the issue on Tuesday, she said.
Airbnb has since said it will ban party houses on its online platform.
The Contra Costa Sheriffs’s Office said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing and is asking anyone with any information to contact its investigation division at (925) 313-2600. Any tips can be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us. To leave an anonymous voice message, call 866-846-3592.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
