A 24-year-old man arrested Wednesday in connection with a fatal shooting in Berkeley in September was charged with murder Friday by the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
Will Anthony Watson was arrested by Berkeley detectives at 11 a.m. at his home in Monterey, California.
The fatal shooting took place Sept. 22 at Fairview and Harper streets in South Berkeley. It took the life of 19-year-old Gregory Ignacio Jr.
Police had arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the case in January, but he was not charged with the murder.
Police said in court papers they developed Watson as a suspect during interviews that were part of the investigation. On Jan. 22, BPD sought a warrant for Watson’s arrest.
During his interview with police, Watson denied involvement with the murder, police said in court documents.
“A physical line-up was completed with Watson,” wrote police. “One witness … identified Watson and two others made strong tentative identifications.”
Ignacio was fatally shot four months ago around 7:30 p.m. while standing with a group at Harper and Fairview, police said previously. The shooting was not random. There was a verbal dispute and one young man started shooting. Ignacio was hit and he was declared dead after getting to Highland Hospital in Oakland.
“He was a good friend, he was always there for us,” a friend at a vigil for the young man told Berkeleyside in September. “He was a good person. He was not a street person.”
The killing was the second homicide of 2016. The first happened Aug. 18 when Alex Goodwin Jr., 22, was shot just before midnight near Mabel and Burnett streets. He died early the next day at Highland. No suspects have been arrested in connection with his death.
Police ask anyone with information about the Ignacio killing to call homicide investigators at 510-981-5741 or BPD’s 24-hour non-emergency line at 510-981-5900. People wishing to remain anonymous can call Bay Area Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
