Police: 2 arrests in slayings of Berkeley teen brothers at Oakland party in October

OAKLAND -- Two people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of teenage brothers Angel Soleto and Jazy Soleto at a birthday party in Oakland last October, authorities said.

The Oakland Police Department confirmed Tuesday's arrests, but declined to provide additional details, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.

Jazy, 17, and Angel, 15, were fatally shot and two others were wounded when a masked shooter stormed the party and opened fire on Oct. 1 in Oakland's Longfellow neighborhood.

Neighbors said about 30 to 40 teens attended what was believed to be a birthday party that started around 8 o'clock that Saturday night in early October.

"It just started as commotion where young people were drinking and kind of gathering. (And then) breaking out into bickering and hostility. Before you know it, two guys just walked upstairs and started shooting at each other," said neighbor and witness Martin Opsahl, who lives across the street.  

The brothers attended Berkeley High School and played soccer.

Witnesses saw high-school-age boys and girls screaming and running from the house. It was later confirmed that many of the teens were students from Berkeley High.

"It sounded like two people who were exchanging gunfire. It sounded like there was at least two firearms," Opsahl added.  

A crime scene cleanup worker who entered the apartment said there were still a lot of party decorations inside the two-bedroom apartment. He believed the shooting happened in the kitchen area.

"It was mostly just around the kitchen area is where we ended up seeing the majority of what was in there," said Ricardo De Luna Jr., a cleaner with Diablo Crime Scene Cleaners. The Walnut Creek company was hired by the city and property owner to clean blood stains in the house and on the sidewalk.

School officials released a statement confirming the student deaths.

"We are deeply saddened to have learned that two Berkeley High School students and beloved members of the BUSD family lost their lives yesterday in a senseless act of gun violence," wrote Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel in an e-mail. "Our hearts go out to their family and everyone impacted by this tragedy. Because these were two of our own, we are all feeling this pain collectively and must hold each other especially close and care for one another."

Investigators have said they believe the shooting may have been connected to a conflict at school.

A police spokesperson said the department hopes to provide more information on the investigation this week.

The boys' 13-year-old younger brother also was at the party and was not injured.