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Armed suspect killed in confrontation with Oakland police
An armed man is dead after getting into confrontation with Oakland police. The incident first involved the California Highway Patrol, before the agency called for OPD's assistance.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police fatally shot an allegedly armed man Monday after authorities said he lunged at officers near the Fruitvale District. The deadly encounter followed an investigation involving the California Highway Patrol.
The shooting happened about 2 p.m. near 40th Avenue and International Boulevard.
CHP investigation led to confrontation
What we know:
The CHP said the incident began at a homeless encampment, where officers were involved in an incident with the man.
The agency has jurisdiction over nearby Interstate 880 and its on-and off-ramps. Authorities have not said what prompted the initial contact.
CHP said the man fled after officers confronted him.
Oakland Police Chief James Beere said CHP then requested assistance from OPD because the man was allegedly armed.
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Oakland police chief with an update on a 'critical incident'
The Oakland Police Department said the fatal incident happened near 40th Avenue and International Boulevard Monday afternoon.
Officers say man lunged at police
What they're saying:
According to Beere, Oakland police officers and CHP officers confronted the man and attempted to de-escalate the situation, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Authorities said the man then lunged at officers. At a news conference, Beere said the officers were "attacked." Police first used less-lethal force before two Oakland officers fired their weapons.
Beere did not specify what weapon or weapons the man allegedly had.
"The subject was struck and fell at the scene," the chief said.
Officers rendered first aid, but the man died at the scene, Beere said.
Oakland crime rates down despite triple shooting, homicide
While overall crime numbers are showing a downward trend in Oakland, a recent string of violent incidents—including a fatal shooting, a triple shooting, and an armed kidnapping—has highlighted the ongoing safety anxieties weighing on local residents.
Multiple investigations underway
What's next:
No officers or members of the public were injured, authorities said.
Police remained at the scene Monday afternoon to process evidence and canvass the area for witnesses.
The two officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave, in accordance with department policy.
The shooting is under both criminal and administrative investigation by OPD. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office is conducting an independent investigation, and the Community Police Review Agency has also been notified of the fatal shooting.
Critics demand transparency
The Anti Police-Terror Project, a social justice coalition, issued a statement following the fatal shooting. They said they want to know why CHP pursuits are still happening in Oakland's neighborhoods and if police can justify deadly force when the public has not been told the person who was killed pointed or fired a weapon at officers.
The group noted it'd not even been a week since Chief Beere was promoted to the top cop position.
"For a city being told this is a new chapter for OPD, this looks like the same old status quo: police violence, vague explanations, and another demand that the public accept the official narrative before the facts are fully released," the group's statement read. "Being ‘armed’ cannot be used as a blanket justification for police execution. Oakland deserves facts, not carefully crafted talking points."
They reminded of the case of Dr. Marvin Boomer, a beloved Oakland educator who was killed moments after CHP pursued a suspect through a residential area.
The APTP is demanding OPD provide a timeline of events, any body-worn camera footage as well as dispatch audio, and more specific information on the alleged weapons the person was armed with.
The Source: This was written based on information from the Oakland Police Department and a statement from the Anti Police-Terror Project.