Man killed by pickup truck in apparent San Leandro homicide, suspect arrested

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KTVU/BCN) - The man killed Monday in the parking lot of True World Foods warehouse was an employee, who witnesses say had confronted a driver of a white pickup truck who was trying to take wooden pallets belonging to the business. The driver of the truck ran over the man and drove off, leaving the victim on the pavement. Emergency crews pronounced him dead at the scene.

"He tried to stop a crime today and paid the tragic price of trying to do what was the right thing. Our hearts go out to the victim, all the employees at True World Foods and the family of the victim and his friends," said San Leandro police spokesman Lt. Robert McManus.

Investigators issued an alert to neighboring cities, prompting a five-hour manhunt that led to an arrest about 5 p.m. in Oakland.

The suspect's motive may have been trying to steal wood pallets, as there's a large market for recycling stolen pallets, according to McManus.

The suspect, Kadeem Edwards, 27, of Richmond, was spotted at 47th Avenue and E.12th Street in Oakland at 4:40 p.m., while driving a white Ford pickup truck with a red paper dealer advertising plate matching the vehicle in surveillance tape at the crime scene.

Two Oakland police officers had heard the description of the vehicle during the swing shift briefing and had been on patrol near a pallet recycling center on 47th Avenue, looking for the white pickup truck. The officers spotted the truck a block away as it headed south on East 12th Street. It had a stack of wooden pallets in the back.

Witnesses say Edwards exited his truck and hid under a car on 48th Avenue where he was located and arrested by Oakland Police. San Leandro police were then called to take control of the scene.

The company, whose warehouse is located just west of Interstate Highway 880, describes itself on its website as "one of the largest wholesale distributors of fresh and frozen seafood and specialty items in North America."

Edwards will be transported to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin where he will be held on suspicion of murder without bail. San Leandro Police Department, Edwards is expected to appear in Alameda County Superior Court in Hayward this week.

Late Monday evening, police said they would provide Edward's photograph on Tuesday. He was not the registered owner of the white pickup truck.

The name of the victim was not released Monday as police tried to notify all of his family members.