Toddler killed by stray bullet was about to meet dad for first time after being separated by Covid travel ban
A toddler who was killed by a stray bullet on a California highway was about to meet his father for the first time after his parents were separated by the US’s Covid-19 travel ban.
Jasper Wu was shot and killed in the back seat of his mother’s car while she was driving southbound along Interstate 880 in Oakland, California, on Saturday afternoon.
Jasper was travelling with his mother, aunt and cousins back to their home in Fremont when police said gunfire broke out on the northbound side of the highway and randomly struck the family’s vehicle.
A single bullet entered the car’s front windshield and struck the 23-month-old who was about to celebrate his second birthday next month.
The little boy was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead.
Just two days later, the US lifted its restrictions on travel to vaccinated visitors and his father landed into San Francisco Airport.
Jasper’s mother Cherry An told KGO-TV her husband had been stranded in Shanghai ever since the US introduced a nationwide travel ban on arrivals from China back on 31 January 2020.
The father and son have never met in real life but created a bond over video call.
"I have been a full-time mom. Even when I was pregnant I was by myself," she said.
This was all about to change as President Joe Biden announced that the US would fully reopen to vaccinated international travellers from 8 November, allowing separated families to reunite for the first time since the pandemic began.
Jasper’s father had a flight booked to land at San Francisco International Airport the night the ban lifted and the parents were looking forward to planning the child’s second birthday party.
Ms An said she had been excited to pick out a cake for Jasper who she described as an "incredibly good boy" and a “wonderful child”.
But the family have been left heartbroken as the senseless tragedy unfolded just two days earlier.
Carl Chan of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce told the outlet KGO-TV that Jasper’s parents reunited quietly at the airport as they now face having to plan their son’s funeral.
California Highway Patrol have asked anyone driving along the interstate on Saturday afternoon to check their dash cameras.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the CHP investigation tip line at 707 917-4491.
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