OAKLAND, Calif., March 21, 2009
Four Cops Critically Wounded In Oakland
Suspect Killed After Traffic Stop Gone Wrong Leads To Massive Manhunt, Shootout
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Police officers block an intersection in East Oakland during an intense manhunt for two suspects who shot officers during a traffic stop. Four officers are critically wounded and one suspect is dead following the manhunt, which ended in a second exchange of gunfire, March 21, 2009. (CBS)
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Two officers were shot in the first incident just after 1 p.m. after they stopped the suspect's vehicle in east Oakland, said Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason.
The suspect fled the scene on foot into a nearby neighborhood, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic.
At about 3:30 p.m. officers, acting on an anonymous tip, found the suspect, who had barricaded himself in a building close to location of the first shooting. Gunfire was exchanged between the two parties, injuring two more officers and killing one of the suspects, reports CBS Station KPIX in San Francisco.
"We had SWAT officers go into that building and that's where the second shooting took place," said Thomason.
All four officers are in critical condition at Highland Hospital, Thomason said. Dozens of people, including other officers gathered outside the hospital, awaiting word of the officers' condition.
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, KPIX reports.
A visibly shaken acting Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said the department was still investigating.
"At this point we don't believe there are other people involved, but it's too early to tell," he said.
Local Video from CBS 5 in San Francisco
Tension between police and the community has risen steadily since the fatal shooting of unarmed 22-year-old Oscar Grant by a transit police officer on Jan. 1. That officer, Johannes Mehserle, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Violent protests erupted on the streets of Oakland in the weeks after Grant's death, further inflaming tensions.
Hours after Saturday's shootings near a busy intersection just blocks from a police substation in east Oakland, people were still at the scene of the first shooting as police tape blocked off streets.
Mo Wiley, 32, of Oakland, said emotions still are raw from the Grant shooting.
"Oakland is a beautiful place," Wiley said. "But I just hate when it gets ugly like this."
Meanwhile about 20 people taunted police near the scene of the first shooting, saying the incidents were "payback for Oscar."
The mood was somber outside the police station in east Oakland as the investigation continued. Officers hugged and consoled each other.
"This is a highly sensitive situation that we're dealing with right now with our OPD family, and we're still trying to notify family members that their family members were hurt," Thomason said.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 26 Comments
- Yes cbsantispin
This country is now hip deep in an organized government criminal organization called law enforcement. The only way to get rid of them other than to kill them is to bring back community policing and force the lowlife vermin to get real jobs where they have to do real work rather than terrorize the communities they police. - Reply to this comment
- ubrew12
I don't think this country was designed to protect weak minded scum like you. Get out of America - Reply to this comment
- If Oakland had snitch laws on guns I swear thousands of guns would be turned in in the first weekend, often by somebodies grandmother. But she's not going to call the police because
1) they're going to lock up her baby for 5 years if its true
2) her baby is going to beat her if he finds out she's disarmed him.
Its a tough situation. With the right program, family members who know where these weapons are being kept can be encouraged to 'rat' on their loved ones without fear of retribution or having the 'long arm of the law' squash the one they love. - Reply to this comment
- Three cops dead, the other likely will be soon. Fortunately, the guns the man used are still alive, and can be used again. (/sarcasm)
But, guns don't kill people...
We need 'snitch' laws: give someone $500 for a tip that results in a confiscated illegally owned weapon. Charge the perp $500 for the weapon. Set it up so that the snitch can keep their identity secret (since it would often be a family member of the perp). Keep it low key, the point being to identify and corrall the illegal weapon, NOT punish the perp. People with legally owned and operated weapons aren't in any danger.
Whats a parolee doing with a gun? That kid in Germany who killed 17: how did he get ahold of his dads gun (it should have been in a locked gun-case)? Irresponsible gun-ownership in both cases. And TRAGEDY the result.
Ohh, and one last thing: hey CBSnews? If you want the latest news on something, just go to Yahoo news. They are always up on the latest news, often by an entire day. You guys are lame as a news service. - Reply to this comment
- America has lost its innocence, lost its sense of trust, lost its way. Many hope it will return, many think it never will. There was a time when U.S. Citizens trusted the Police, saw the Police as a safety shield, not a threat or an enemy. Many people don't trust American Institutions anymore and this must change and trust must be restored or a complete breakdown in society will be the result. It really is a sad day in America when someone is pulled over for a routine Traffic Stop and 4 Police Officers are shot and someone is killed. This is not the America I grew up in and I'm not that old by todays standards. Sheesh.
- Reply to this comment
- You guys out back smoking a joint? Pretty bad when the comments beat the reporting. Three dead, one critical.
- Reply to this comment
- Sure gravyboat63
And praise the lord for allowing that soul to rid this country of 4 abusive parasites before he was called home. - Reply to this comment
- Waitaminute!
Looks like it's going to be 4 to 1 - Reply to this comment
- Wow!
Final score seems to be in.
Looks like the people beat the goons three to one!
Outstanding ! ! ! ! - Reply to this comment
- RichardJ, Maybe you should spend some time taking a look at how police treat the "brown brothers" you refer to. I don't advocate violence against cops, but I am not surprised at all given some of the abuse I have witnessed.
Did you happen to see the cop who beat the snot out of that teenaged girl in Seattle?....oh i forgot because "she flipped her shoe off in his general direction"!!!!! As a nation we need to get this under control or i don't doubt that there will be more of this. - Reply to this comment
- The morons in Oakland will probably hold a parade for the killer. I hope he suffered before he died. Those who claim this is payback believe two wrongs make a right. What a bunch of idiots.
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- We have seen blatant examples of police abuse of citizens in Seattle, West Haven and now Oakland recently. What is more chilling is that the Police Chiefs in each city vigorously defended these abuses. I certainly don't condone violence against police officers but neither am i surprised when the sanctioned abuse of citizens runs rampant.
It is clear to me that police staffing and activity have increased greatly since the democrat regime began in 2007. Likewise Criminal Justice graduates have increased in that time. I beleive that this is in anticipation of the draconian measures Obama intends when his full economic plan is clear to the American people. We are headed for a police state very soon. We have, of course, only ourselves to blame. It is what we in the aggregate asked for. CHANGE!!! - Reply to this comment
- Anyone who shoots at an Oakland (or other police officer) should expect to wind up dead. And, anyone who thinks this is appropriate 'payback' for what an out of control Bart officer did is a moron - except that would be to insult actual morons, who are generally pretty nice people. 4 police officers in critical condition?? Where are we, Medellin? Mexico? Police officers are putting themselves in danger's path every day for a very low salary, all things considered. All you Oakland residents who think it's o.k. to shoot police officers - wouldn't it be great if you could all live in one sealed-off neighborhood (without any children or other innocents) without any police presence so you can have the nice peaceful environment you apparently imagine would be yours? I bet the vast majority of Oakland citizens would vote for that in a heartbeat, given the chance. Poor Oakland - it once was and should be again a world-class, real and beautiful city. It's drugs and gangs that've ruined it. And as for gun control -- does anyone think these criminals go to a legit gun store, get a permit, and buy a gun???? As if. . . . I think having more decent citizens properly armed and trained would probably result in a much more orderly society. Levels the playing field.
I will pray for the officers' full recovery, and for the neighborhoods to work with the police to hold the line against criminals in their areas. The vast majority of the people who live in Oakland are not violent criminals. They and their city deserve better. - Reply to this comment
- Only way to prevent such incident is gun control.=== Posted by robinspp
No. What's needed is some cop control. - Reply to this comment
- Praise the Lord for removing this troubled sociopath from the earth, Too bad people that we hire to protect civilization have to be in such dire condition. Gangstas are a blight and need to go.
- Reply to this comment
- "Only way to prevent such incident is gun control." - Posted by robinspp
California has the most draconian and restrictive gun-laws in the country. What's needed is a little emphasis on Criminal Control. - Reply to this comment
- 4 down, thousands to go !
- Reply to this comment
- I'm also glad the reporters stop calling the suspect(gentleman) who in
their right mind would want to refer anyone who's doing a crime a gentleman!
There's nothing gentle or manly about these criminals!
Its as bad as calling a woman criminal a lady!! - Reply to this comment
- I'm glad the guys dead but I'm sure the lawyers will be out there suing someone for his
family for excessive force or something and if he had lived the reporters would have reported that the gunman had alleged to have shot anyone for fear of being sued for slander!
All that's thanks to lawyers defending these scumbags!!!! Shoot first and ask questions later!! - Reply to this comment
- Posted by searingtruth at 7:30 PM : Mar 21, 2009
100% agreement. - Reply to this comment
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