OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – In the wake of the Jasper Wu shooting, surveillance cameras are now being considered on Oakland freeways. 

The police chief says he supports the idea, however, it would likely take additional support from city leaders to help get the ball rolling. 

“I would definitely welcome freeway cameras in Oakland. I think any addition of technology would be helpful. It helps us solve these investigations,” Chief LeRonne Armstrong said. 

Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong’s full-throated support for installing surveillance cameras on Oakland stretches of the 580 and 880 freeways, comes in the wake of the deadly shooting of 23-month-old Jasper Wu. 

The toddler was killed by a stray bullet while his family was traveling on southbound I-80 near Filbert Street. 

No suspects have been identified, no arrests have been made, and no cameras at this time on the freeway. 

The chief would like to see that changed.

“It will be helpful in solving these investigations and it would have helped in this crime as well,” Chief Armstrong said. 

Surveillance cameras in place in the Contra Costa County Freeway Safety Network are the result of a joint collaboration that includes Caltrans, the CoCo D.A.’s office, and cities impacted by freeway shootings several years ago along Interstate-80 and Highway 4 — A similar coalition would likely be needed in Oakland.

City Councilmember Sheng Thao sent KRON4 a statement that reads:

“This isn’t something the city has jurisdiction over but I am open to hearing more of what the Chief has to say. What I am focused on is getting illegal guns off our streets. A baby losing his life in a hail of gunfire is exactly why we have to get guns out of the hands of criminals.”

“I am fully behind the call to get more surveillance technology,” City Councilmember Loren Taylor said. 

However, City Councilmember Loren Taylor says he supports the idea as long as privacy rights are protected.

“And the concerns relative to overreach and over abuse of the information,” Taylor said. 

The city of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission would also be involved in any decision to install surveillance cameras in Oakland.