SAN FRANCISCO—On Friday, February 26, 2021, charges were filed against an Oakland native for the shooting of Reuben Lewis III on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Lewis was watching his son’s pee wee football team at Concordia Park when the suspect walked up and shot him in front of his son and his teammates.
The man being charged with murder is 36-year-old Daniel Stith, who turned himself in to the San Leandro Police Department at 9:30 p.m. that same day. Stith had prior convictions for robbery & cocaine possession. Police say the two knew each other and had a prior dispute but did not elaborate further as the investigation is still unraveling.
The event was witnessed by the 60 children that were running drills at 5:30 p.m. on the field that day according to Walté Orr, the coach of the Oakland Dynamites Youth Football program, who spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday February 25, 2021. “He did not deserve this,” said Orr. The group of young athletes ranged from 5 to 14-year-olds.
Lewis was a former coach for the Dynamites and continued to mentor the children on the team, including his son. A prayer vigil will be taking place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at Concordia Park according to Pastor LJ Jennings who is the president of the Bay Area Community Benefit Organization.
The city of Oakland has seen a major rise in fatal shootings since January 1 with 24 being reported. The rate of fatal shootings in Oakland has quintupled when compared to last year in the same timeframe.
