I know this isn't a happy posting but I thought it was fitting in my life. Jake has been gone all day (ironically) at a Use of Force Training for Concord PD. The 1st half of the day was spent working on Defensive Tactisc (DTAC) and the 2nd half was at the gun range. I get a call from him around 5:30pm asking if I've seen the news. I saw a lot of Madagasar, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Shrek, but no news. He tells me about how during their training they got news of 4 Oakland officers who have been killed today in the line of duty... in 2 seperate incidents. Please keep the officers and their families in your prayers during this tough time. Also, keep Jake in your prayers. While he's not a full time officer, or working in Oakland, I'm reminded of the sacrifice he's making working for Concord Police Department.
I'm sure details will evolve, but as of this evening here is a clip...
OAKLAND (CBS 5/BCN/KCBS) ― Law enforcement sources said that four officers are dead, along with a suspect after a traffic stop led to a massive manhunt in the streets of East Oakland.
It all began with the the fatal shooting of two officers during a traffic stop near 73rd and Hillside Streets, around 1 p.m. Saturday. The gunman fled and police closed off the surrounding streets to traffic while dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies conducted an intense search for the suspect.
At about 3:10 p.m., a SWAT team confronted the suspect barricaded inside an apartment building close to location of the first shooting. Gunfire was exchanged between the two parties, fatally wounding two more officers, and killing the suspect.
Authorities say the Alameda County coroner has been called to Highland Hospital in Oakland in response to the shooting but the hospital is not releasing any information yet.
The Oakland Police Department is expected to hold a press conference Saturday night.
Yolanda Johnson, an employee at Marge and Jerry's Loan Co., a pawn shop at 7335 MacArthur Blvd., said she was at work this afternoon when she heard several pops.
"We were just sitting there like a normal day and we just heard gunshots and I said 'Hey everybody, duck down and close the door,'" Johnson said. "I tried to call 911 really quick but I guess everyone else was too because I could not get through," she said. After a while she went outside to see what had happened. "
I looked across the street and I saw the officers down and I just turned around and came back in," Johnson said.
She said the injured police were motorcycle officers. The sight left her trembling.
"It just brings tears to your eyes ... my heart goes out to the family and to the officers that were killed or injured," she said.
Johnson lives in Hayward but has worked at the pawn shop for 18 years. She said that although she has never seen anything as bad as what she saw Saturday, violence is not unusual in the neighborhood. "As far as feeling safe, this area's getting really pretty bad," she said.
3 comments:
That is so sad. And Oakland is one of the last places I would want to be a police officer...it's getting so dangerous.
As soon as this happend they had a news scroll during the NCAA basketball games we were watching. It instantly made me sick. People are sick. And this is why I never go to Oakland (except the airport and temple). I think its such a hole now. The people there have destroyed it, and pretty soon its going to be just like Richmond.
I can't believe that has happened. I feel so sad for their families and the police department. It sounded like the guy didn't want to go back to jail
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