I-80 shooting victim in Richmond has died

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RICHMOND (KTVU) -- The 24-year-old Pinole man shot Thursday aftenoon on Highway 80 in Richmond has died, according to the CHP. 

Demarcus Doss, 24, of Pinole, was declared brain dead on Friday but remained on life support. He was shot three times while driving a Honda Odyssey minivan on I-80 near the San Pablo exit around 3:30 p.m. Thursday.  A 24-year-old female passenger in Doss' minivan was listed in stable condition, authorities said. She suffered a gunshot wound to the hand.

CHP officers identified one of the suspects who has been detained as Elliot Johnson, 24, of Richmond. Police said he was the driver of the vehicle where the bullets were fired from. Authorities said Johnson is a parolee who "has an extensive violent criminal history ranging from gun crimes to carjacking," CHP spokesman Officer Jonathan Fransen said at a news conference Friday.

The other suspects were two 17-year-old boys, one of whom was said to have fired the gun, officials said. Their identities were not released because they are juveniles. 

California Highway Patrol Lt. Jason Reardon said three suspects were in custody but that they have not been formally charged in connection with the attack. He said the three would likely be formally charged next week.

The shooting and the investigation on Thursday resulted in a five-hour closure of eastbound I-80 lanes, causing massive traffic gridlock for motorists.

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A medical helicopter landed on I-80 to rush Doss to medical treatment. The woman was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital.

Investigators declined to release a motive in the attack, but said it was not random. CHP officers also said the three suspects had gang ties.

An off-duty officer acted as a Good Samaritan and came to the aid of one of the victims, Reardon said, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

"This is a fluid investigation," Reardon said. "These are heinous events."

Information from witnesses helped lead police to a silver Dodge sedan, which was found in a Richmond neighborhood shortly after the shooting.

The shooting is part of a deadly trend involving roughly 80 shootings on Bay Area freeways since late 2015, the preponderance of which have occurred in the East Bay and are also targeted attacks, Reardon said.

Given the millions of people driving the region's roads every day, it's still "extremely low" that a driver will be the victim of such an attack, Reardon said.

KTVU reporter Henry Lee contributed to this report.