OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – The victim in the Interstate-880 shooting has been identified as former Berkeley High and Cal Basketball star athlete Gene Ransom, KRON4 confirmed.

Gene’s longtime close friend Todd Walker told KRON4 that he confirmed the news after speaking with other friends and family.

The suspect involved in the shooting was identified as 25-year-old San Francisco resident Juan Angel Garcia who was arrested Saturday morning and booked into Alameda County Jail.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a statement on the incident.

“The loss of life due to gun violence is a tragedy for the family and friends of Gene Ransom and our entire community. The Mayor will be relentless in her pursuit of state resources to install cameras, with privacy protections, at on and off ramps that can assist investigations such as these, and ultimately hold those accountable who act with such heinous disregard for human life.”

Justin Berton, spokesperson for Mayor Libby Schaaf

Todd Walker, a longtime friend of Ransom since they were in elementary school, said it breaks his heart to learn his friend was shot to death.

“Watching it on the news and then getting a call early in the morning to tell you its gene, of all people — man,” Walker said.

Ransom starred in basketball from Berkeley High School to UC Berkeley in the 1970s.

“When Gene got to Cal freshman, sophomore year, he used to have us at the door. You know, we felt like celebrities because when he walked up, we walked in with him,” Walker said.

California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation.

At 5:15 p.m. Friday, CHP said a man crashed into a guardrail after being shot and killed on the freeway north of Oak Street in Oakland.

CHP has not released a motive, but Walker says there was no reason for anyone to target him.

The Alameda County Coroner’s office has yet to officially say Ransom is the victim who died, but Ransom’s alma mater, UC Berkeley, sent out a statement Saturday.

We are shocked to hear the reports that cal athletics hall of famer gene ransom has been identified as a victim in a deadly freeway shooting. Our thoughts are with gene’s family and friends for this tragic loss. Gene was one of the greatest players in our men’s basketball program’s history, and he will be greatly missed.

Cal Athletics

“With this incidence, it makes me think of, you know, with the other ones that we’ve had too is the amount of guns that are out there,” said Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Cal State East Bay Cory Lepage.

Lepage echoes what Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong stated of too many guns and a lack of cameras on freeways — especially after toddler Jasper Wu was shot and killed on I-880 in November.

In a statement, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office says, “We do support freeway cameras in Alameda County. We hope our elected officials and community leaders will invest in technology for public safety.”

However, Lepage says the problem goes deeper than that.

“If we didn’t have any guns, this wouldn’t happen, and that’s, you know, a short quick answer,” he said. “But I think we have to look at the more complex root and causes of this individual behavior.”

“Whoever did this definitely needs to be caught,” Walker said. “Definitely, because you killed somebody that wasn’t involved in nothing.”