Berkeley Man Charged in Three Shootings

BERKELEY, CA — A former Berkeley High School student has been charged with premeditated attempted murder, assault with a firearm, child abuse and other charges for a series of three shootings in Berkeley this year, prosecutors said.

The shootings for which 22-year-old Jahkyl Knight has been charged occurred on May 17, Sept. 18 and Sept. 21, according to Berkeley police and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Berkeley police Officer Kyle White wrote in a probable cause statement that Knight, who was arrested last Friday, admitted that he shot a victim, identified in charging documents as Michael Humphrey, at San Pablo
Park on May 17 but only after they had a dispute about a marijuana deal and Humphrey walked toward him and threatened to take his marijuana from him.

White said Knight, who according to his Facebook page works as a security guard at a Walgreen's store, told police that he pulled out his gun and shot Humphrey and after Humphrey fell to the ground he stood over him and shot him multiple times.

Knight said he dropped his marijuana scale as he fled the scene, according to White.

Humphrey was able to survive his injuries and police recovered multiple .45-caliber shell casings at the scene, White said.

When police contacted Humphrey at Highland Hospital in Oakland he confirmed that he had met Knight at San Pablo Park to buy marijuana but refused to cooperate and provide additional information, according to White.

However, one of Humphrey's family members called Berkeley police and said the suspect who shot Humphrey goes by the name "J.T.," according to the probable cause statement.

White said he's had prior contacts with a man called "J.T." and said the man's real name is Jahkyl Knight and Knight matches witnesses' description of the suspect in the May 17 shooting.

White said witnesses who saw Knight's photo identified him as the person who fled the park after the shooting and one of those witnesses saw Knight talking on his cellphone and "remembered Knight saying, 'Got 'em' or
'I got 'em.'"

Knight is charged with premeditated attempted murder, carrying a loaded firearm in a city and carrying a concealed firearm in connection with the May 17 shooting.

Knight is also charged with shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm in a city and carrying a concealed firearm in connection with a shooting near Oregon and Dohr streets on Sept. 18 in which
no one was injured.

In addition, Knight is charged with assault with a firearm, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, child abuse, carrying a loaded firearm in a city and carrying a concealed firearm for a shooting at Sacramento and
Russell streets at 5:40 p.m. on Sept. 21 that left a 16-year-old boy injured.

White said Knight was arrested on Friday night in connection with two recent unrelated shootings in South Berkeley.

Knight is charged with a felony count of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle and a misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle in a city for those incidents.

Knight, who was charged on Tuesday, is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Prosecutors didn't disclose when he's scheduled to return to court.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock