Injuries linked to teens' Bay Area beach 'takeover'

Two people, including one minor, were shot during a "large gathering" near an Alameda beach on Thursday, police said.

Officers from the Alameda Police Department and the East Bay Regional Park District were on the scene of the gathering along Shoreline Drive when they heard gunshots, the police department said in a Facebook post. Authorities found the two people on the 300 block of Park Street, police said, which is near Alameda Beach.

Both people were transported to a local hospital, police said. The shooting is an active investigation, and police are not releasing additional information.

"Alameda is a welcoming city and we are working to ensure that our residents and visitors have an enjoyable, safe summer - but we won't tolerate irresponsible, unlawful activities," the department wrote on Facebook.

According to several reports, the shooting is allegedly tied to a "beach takeover," a growing trend often among young people that involves large crowds of people gathering in one specific area, sometimes resulting in violence. Large crowds of young people were in the area when the shooting happened, KTVU-TV reported.

Terrence Cotcher, a spokesperson for the East Bay Regional Park District, the agency that oversees the beach, confirmed to SFGATE that the "takeover" started on Thursday night and continued into the morning. The shooting itself occurred outside the park district's jurisdiction, and the Alameda Police Department is conducting the investigation.

Cotcher said the "takeovers" have been a growing issue across the country and have gained popularity in the past six months. Though the number of people at the Thursday gathering remains uncertain, he said the shooting was likely tied to the event.

Multiple people were arrested and cited by the park district and by Alameda police, Cotcher said.

"We continue to take these events seriously," he said. "We will continue to collaborate with our local public safety partners to ensure the safety of our patrons and the communities we serve."

In an interview with KTVU-TV, Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft condemned the gathering.

"The young people out there, make smart decisions. Don't do dumb things. Don't be a follower. Be a leader. Walk away when someone is suggesting something dumb," she said.

Just earlier this year, Alameda police warned the public of the takeovers, citing a gathering that happened in March where young people were allegedly underage drinking and fights allegedly broke out at the South Shore Shopping Center. And in a takeover last year, more than 300 young people flocked to a mall in Brentwood after promoting the meetup on social media, the San Francisco Chronicle previously reported. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 2:14 AM.