Bomani Boe Busby, a 23-year-old man, tragically lost his life on October 9, 2019, in Oakland, California. The incident occurred at a homeless camp located in the 800 block of 77th Avenue. According to court records and police reports, Busby was assaulted by at least three individuals. During the assault, he was stabbed with an unknown sharp weapon and subsequently shot multiple times by one of the suspects, Bryan Colston. Busby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The attack appeared to be unprovoked, with Colston shooting Busby while he lay defenseless on the ground.
The investigation led to the arrest and charging of five individuals in connection with Busby's murder. Bryan Colston, 31, was charged on November 26, 2019, for his role in the shooting. Colston, a five-time felon, was already in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on charges related to a robbery at the Provident Credit Union in Fremont. Alongside Colston, Brandon Harper, 30, Joshua Lucas, 29, Derrick Simmons, 27, and Fatima Harrison, 32, were also charged with murder. Harper was identified as the initiator of the assault, while Lucas was believed to have possessed the sharp weapon used in the attack. Simmons and Harrison were involved in driving the suspects to and from the scene and attempting to hide their vehicle after the incident.
The case against the suspects was built on witness statements and physical evidence. Colston, who had prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, second-degree robbery, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm, was arraigned on the murder charge on December 3, 2019. He was scheduled to return to court on January 8, 2020, to enter a plea. Harper, who had prior convictions for unlawfully taking a vehicle, evading an officer, possession for sale of a controlled substance, and carrying a loaded firearm, remained at large with a no-bail warrant issued for his arrest. Lucas, Simmons, and Harrison also had prior convictions for various offenses, including second-degree robbery and being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.
The fatal shooting of Bomani Busby was one of many homicides at homeless camps in Oakland in recent years, highlighting the ongoing violence and challenges faced by the homeless community in the area. The arrests and charges brought against the suspects in Busby's case were part of a broader effort by law enforcement to address and reduce the violence in these vulnerable communities.
