13-year-old charged in fatal stabbing of teen inside San Leandro grocery store

SAN LEANDRO — A 13-year-old boy has been arrested and charge in a fatal stabbing last month inside a Safeway store, police said Monday.

The stabbing killed 18-year-old Zion Gooden of San Leandro, according to authorities.

Police have not said if the suspect and victim knew each other.

In a news release, police said the suspect was arrested May 16 at his school in a neighboring jurisdiction. A search warrant was served at his home and yielded further evidence linking the boy to the killing, police said. Police have not said where the boy lives.

Police said the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against the suspect, but did not say what they were.

The stabbing happened around 5:15 p.m. April 2 inside the Safeway store, 555 Bancroft Ave. Arriving officers found Gooden suffering from stab wounds to his arm and chest. He was transported to a trauma center, where he died later that evening.

Police said investigators were able to piece together what transpired through reviews of surveillance footage and interviews of witnesses at the grocery store.

It appeared that a dispute arose between Gooden and the suspect over the suspect’s interaction with an associate of Gooden’s. The confrontation escalated into a fight, during which Gooden was stabbed by the suspect with a knife, police said.

The suspect was eventually identified from surveillance footage.

While an arrest has been made, police continue to urge anyone with additional information about the killing to contact Detective Sgt. J. Vincent at 510-577-3315, the anonymous tip line at 510-577-3278, or Text-to-Tip at 888777 (keyword: TipSLPolice).