Oakland: Suspected pimp charged with shooting man, woman on ‘The Blade’

OAKLAND — A Stockton man with two prior pimping convictions has been charged with shooting a man and a woman during an early-morning fight in a neighborhood known for prostitution.

Theodis Evans, 48, was charged with two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possessing an unregistered gun in his Stockton home. He is also charged with pimping the woman who prosecutors say got into a heated argument with another prostitute in Oakland, prompting the July 8 shooting.

Both shooting victims were injured but survived, authorities said.

Evans remains jailed in lieu of $407,000 bail, records show. His next court date has been set for Dec. 17.

Authorities allege that Evans shot a 27-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman after the woman got into a fight with the woman Evans was pimping. During the argument, the two women allegedly threatened the other with violence from their respective pimps; they then each called for help, one reaching Evans and the other contacting the 27-year-old man.

Both men pulled up in their vehicles, and the 27-year-old man allegedly encouraged the two women to have a fistfight. Evans allegedly retorted, “she ain’t about to do nothing,” before opening fire at the two victims and yelling at his female companion to, “get in the f—ing car,” according to police.

The shooting occurred around 5 a.m. last July 8, on a section of 16th Avenue known as a “Blade,” a slang term for a high prostitution area in town. Evans’ Stockton home was raided on Oct. 24, and he was charged earlier this month, records show.

Authorities initially arrested the woman Evans was with and seized her cellphone, finding messages referencing prostitution between her and Evans, according to police. When they arrested Evans in late October, he reportedly denied involvement in pimping or the shooting.

Evans was not allowed to possess firearms due to seven prior convictions, including two separate convictions on pimping charges. The earlier pimping cases are from 2017, in Santa Clara County, and 2021, in San Joaquin County, according to the criminal complaint.