'Bloody Monday:' Oakland Police Union Blames 24 Hours Of Violence On 'Defund The Police' Movement
OAKLAND (KPIX) -- A day of unprecedented violence in Oakland that left 4 people dead and several wounded has set off an intense exchange of finger-pointing and blame between city leaders and the powerful police officers union.
Oakland police detailed the violence in a statement, which began Monday afternoon with a double-homicide, an officer involved shooting, a triple-shooting, and a stabbing, and ended with fatal shooting early Tuesday morning.
The first shooting happened at 3:15 p.m. near Burbank Preschool on 68th Avenue, leaving two people dead and more injured. Just seven minutes later, an FBI agent shot and killed someone during an arrest with the U.S. Marshal Service. Then, at 5:14 p.m., three people were wounded in yet another shooting, but not fatally near the Fruitvale BART station.
At 7:15 p.m., officers found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound near 46th Avenue and International Boulevard, and at 9:30 p.m. responded to a report of a stabbing in the 1400 block of 105th Avenue. Finally, Tuesday at 7:42 a.m., officers found a man who had succumbed to gunshot wounds in the 1000 block of 46th Avenue.
In a scathing press release, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, Barry Donelan, dubbed it "Bloody Monday." He says officers in the department feel demoralized by the Defund the Police movement and are voting with their feet to leave OPD.
"Stop the attrition. We're losing 10 a month and provide these officers a sense of value and appreciation that they deserve as the dedicated public servants that they are. Last night was extremely taxing to those who were on duty," Donelan said.
Noel Gallo, who grew up and represents the Fruitvale district on the city council says the latest budget transferred some responsibilities, like traffic away from OPD, but didn't defund the department.
"We need to be accountable for the work we do. We need to serve the residents. I don't need to come by to motivate you when you receive your paycheck, that should be the motivation you need to make sure we do our jobs in Oakland and make sure we protect our children and families," Gallo told KPIX5.
In a statement, the FBI didn't reveal much, including the name of the agent involved, only saying the agent was uninjured.
"In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under investigation by the FBI's Inspection Division. The review process is thorough, objective, and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances"
OPD denied repeated requests for an interview with Chief Laronne Armstrong, who has been consistent in asking for more officers, instead issuing this statement late Tuesday:
Over the last 24 hours, the City of Oakland experienced an unprecedented level of violence that continued into this morning. So far this year, we have lost 94 lives in our city. Our department is stretched beyond capacity as we manage multiple critical incidents that have traumatized families and our community. Lives were lost due to gun and domestic violence, and there are many others who have suffered serious to critical injuries.
As violent crime increases in Oakland and throughout our country, we continue to work together through these trying times. We work closely with our City leaders/departments, and community organizations, such as the Department of Violence Prevention, Alameda County District Attorney's Office, and our local and federal law enforcement partners, focusing our efforts to reduce violent crime and hold those accountable.
During these dangerous times, we are all exposed to the harsh reality of life's tragedies. The Oakland Police Department and the City of Oakland, remain committed and focused to our dedication in providing support and public safety service to our community.