SAN LEANDRO — An angry and dissatisfied customer faces attempted murder and felony firearms charges for shooting up a liquor store, following his ugly dispute with two store clerks.
The clerks found themselves face-to-face with a raging customer who starting shooting at them earlier this month. Fortunately, no one was injured during their encounter, and it was recorded by a video surveillance camera.
Investigators relied on the video evidence from the store to identify and locate the suspect. He is 29-year-old Caesar R. Browning, a local plumber suspected of being that angry customer.
San Leandro police officers arrested Browning as the suspect without incident at his Oakland residence, at 6:04 p.m. on June 26. The Alameda District Attorney’s Office charged him two days later.
Browning is accused of shooting at the clerks working at 3-Ring Wine & Spirits, located at 15257 Hesperian Boulevard. Fortunately, the bullets hit the wall—not the employees.
San Leandro police Lt. Isaac Benabou called it ” a violent incident committed by the suspect. ‘
Here’s how police describe what happened at the liquor store on June 15, starting at approximately 7:40 p.m.
First, a customer buys some booze. He leaves but he quickly returns. He argues with two clerks, and then he abruptly leaves the premises a second time.
The same customer comes back inside the store for a third time. Now he’s shirtless, seemingly angrier, and this time he’s brandishing a firearm. Both clerks try to hide from him, before the shooting begins.
All the commotion ends when a woman, later identified as Browning’s 28-year-old girlfriend, grabs hold of Browning and pulls him outside of the store. Next, they both flee from the scene in a sporty red Chevy.
Undoubtedly, the incident remains fresh on their minds. Browning remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. He next has a plea hearing at the East County Hall of Justice on July 24.
