A 44-year-old mother of five died while walking back to her car after a wedding reception with her husband in Oakland early Monday, after being struck by a stray bullet, neighbors and police said.

Family members identified the woman to KTVU as Marta Casiano.

Police said they were called to the 2100 block of East 22nd Street, at 12:53 a.m. and found Casiano suffering from a gunshot wound or wounds.

One neighbor reported hearing four shots.

Casiano was rushed to a hospital, where she later died of her injuries. She is the 48th homicide victim this year in Oakland, police said, compared to 40 victims at the same time last yera.

Investigators said that the bullet appeared to have originated from a dispute at another location. Police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said the argument "had nothing to do with the couple." At some point, a gun went off and Casiano was hit, Watson said. Police are now searching for the suspect, witnesses and any surveillance video in the neighborhood.


Casiano was a mother of five, with her children ranging in age from 4 to 26 years old.

Her eldest, Mercedes Flores, told KTVU that her parents had attended a friend's wedding on Sunday and were returning to their car following the reception when the bullet struck Casiano.

"I never though this could happen to us," Flores tearfully said on Monday. "I'm the oldest. I have to be in charge now."

Flores also said her mother owned and operated a taco truck, called "Tacos Marta" in Oakland. "She always wanted to feed everybody," her daughter said.

The tragedy stuck only months after Flores escaped the mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival on July 28. Neither she nor anyone she knew was hurt. Her mother "was against guns," Flores said. "It's unfortunate that her life was taken away."

Oakland police are asking anyone with information to contact the homicide section at (510) 238-3821 or the TIP LINE at 238-7950.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Her friends have started a GoFundMe page for her.