I-580 Gunman's Plans Revealed
OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS) Authorities have said the gunman arrested Sunday on Interstate 580 in Oakland after a shootout with the CHP, was on his way to San Francisco to open fire on liberal lawyers and environmentalists.
45-year-old Byron Williams appeared in court on Tuesday, where he was arraigned on four counts of attempted murder, possession of a firearm and felony possession of body armor.
His only words were "yes" when he was asked if he needed a public defender.
The shootout shut down Interstate 580 for almost 20 hours on Sunday.
Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said Williams told investigators that he was angry at left-wing politicians and he was bound for Mission Street and the Presidio.
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"He was going on Saturday night to San Francisco to two organizations," said Thomason. "One called the Tides Foundation and the other the ACLU for the sole purpose of killing people."
Thomason said this was not a case of domestic terrorism, just a deeply troubled, heavily armed man on a deadly mission.
"We do believe that he was acting alone. We're not looking for any accomplices right now," said Thomason.
Williams has been convicted twice before of bank robbery in Madera County and in Washington state, which means he could face life in prison if convicted of the charges he now faces.
The Tuolumne County man told authorities he was going to lie in wait to shoot liberals when they came to work Monday morning.
