August 3, 2023
OAKLAND, CA—In an incident eerily similar to Jasper Wu, an 8-year-old boy has been paralyzed after he was caught in the crossfire of a rolling gun battle on Interstate-580 because it’s Oakland.
Asa L. and his family were driving on I-580 near the Harrison Street exit when gunmen in two other vehicles began shooting at each other on July 14, according to the CHP.
“(He) was struck by a stray bullet. Bullet and bone fragments pierced … and some lodged in … the spinal column of his neck. Initially, we had no idea if our sweet boy would live,” Asa’s parents wrote on their GoFundMe page.
Asa was immediately rushed to Oakland Children’s Hospital in grave condition.
“Two weeks later, (he) is not only alive, but he’s making us laugh, reading his favorite books and requesting songs by Imagine Dragons. His intellect, his spirit, and his love of life are very much intact,” a family friend wrote.
Asa is described as a math wizard, devoted brother, and soccer enthusiast.
“His body is forever changed. At this point, he is experiencing complete paralysis below the neck. Never in a million years could we have predicted how (his) life – and all of our lives – would change so quickly,” family and friends wrote.
The 8-year-old victim is facing a new reality, which requires a mechanical respirator, around-the-clock nursing care, and additional surgeries, according to KRON4.
“We’re fiercely committed to doing everything we can to help (him) thrive which includes supporting his return to home life, school, and being the energetic, creative, and high-spirited 8-year-old he is,” Melissa Neuwelt, Asa’s mother wrote.
The two suspects involved in the July 14 shooting were driving a dark gray SUV and a maroon-colored SUV, according to CHP Lt. Slade Durham. No arrests have been made.
Asa is the third child to be either injured or killed by stray rounds on Bay Area freeways in the last few years. Jasper Wu, 1, was killed on I-880 on November 6, 2021.
The multiple African-American suspects involved in the Jasper Wu case have either been released or had their charges substantially dropped by African-American DA Pamela Price.
Feature Image via GoFundMe