Fatal Shooting of 66 Year Old Woman

Neighbors shocked at fatal shooting of 66-year-old woman

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 | Posted: 3:22 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Photo of Judy Salamon courtesy of Facebook

An elderly woman was shot and killed while driving through East Oakland only blocks from her home Wednesday afternoon has been identified by neighbors as 66-year-old Judy Salamon.

Neighbors in East Oakland’s Maxwell Park neighborhood said Salamon was known as the pet nanny, a professional dog walker who was a recognizable figure in the neighborhood.

"She walks her dogs up and down the street. We usually see her," area resident Sean Johnson told KTVU.

Residents of Maxwell Park can't believe the woman they saw everyday was the target of a gunman who opened fire on her green Subaru as she drove up the 2400 block of Fern Street at around 1:30 p.m.

Salamon's car slid backwards and crashed into a parked vehicle after she was fatally shot.

Officers arriving at the scene were unable to locate any suspects. No arrests had been made in the case.

"At this time we don't know if it's one or several suspects," said Oakland Police spokesperson Johnna Watson.

Police said glass beer bottles found at the scene may be useful as evidence to either identify potential suspects or witnesses. The shooting took place next to a cemetery where illegal dumping is prevalent. Multiple cameras in the area may have caught what happened.

Police said they can't speculate about motive, but neighbors told KTVU they can't imagine Salamon's death was anything but a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Well, this is Oakland. You know how our murder rate this year. But it's just scary that it's in such close proximity," said Johnson.

On Salamon's front door, police left a note from police letting folks know that a tan chihuahua as well as other animals have been removed from the now-empty home.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Oakland police at (510) 238-3821. Those who wish to remain anonymous may call (510) 773-2508.