2 Suspects Arrested In Murder Of TV News Crew Security Guard Kevin Nishita; 3rd Suspect Sought
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Two suspects have been arrested and a third has been identified and was being sought in the shooting death of TV news security guard and former police officer Kevin Nishita, Oakland Chief of Police LeRonne L. Armstrong announced Wednesday.
Armstrong said the two suspects were already in custody on unrelated charges when the investigators linked them to Nishita's death. The owner of Acura TL sedan believed to be the getaway vehicle seen racing from the scene was arrested.
The chief would not confirm if he was one of the two suspects in custody.
"These individuals were wanted for other things and arrested for those other things, but a homicide arrest is pending," Armstrong said.
The suspects' names were not released since the investigation is ongoing and the third suspect is still at large, but police were "closing in on him."
"We continue to work on the case and work with the district attorney's office on charging," Armstrong said. "We feel strongly that we have identified a third suspect as well that we are seeking right now with the help of our law enforcement partners. We are closing in on this investigation."
Raw Video: Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong Remarks on Kevin Nishita Murder Arrests
A major break came in the case on Monday when the Acura was located and recovered.
"We really do thank the community for all of the information they brought forth to help us solve this case," Armstrong said. "I believe their assistance was key in identifying that vehicle we recovered and spoke about -- the white Acura...Our homicide investigators have been working with law enforcement agencies across the Bay Area to help us identify the people that we believe were responsible for his heinous crime."
Armstrong said all three suspects were on the scene of the November 24 shooting and that it appeared to be "a crime of opportunity."
Nishita was providing security for a KRON-TV news crew on the 300 block of 14th Street doing a follow-up report on a smash-and-grab robbery when he was shot during an attempted armed robbery. He died from his injuries over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The company Nishita worked for provides security for Bay Area TV news crews, including those at KPIX 5.
"He was a part of our news family. The loss is just tremendous," said KPIX 5 reporter Maria Cid Medina following Nishita's death. "The entire TV market is feeling the loss — in San Francisco and in the Bay Area."
A former police officer, Nishita worked for multiple Bay Area law enforcement agencies, including departments in San Jose, Hayward and Colma.
Law enforcement from all over the Bay Area paid their respects to Nishita as his body was escorted from Alameda to a funeral home in Mountain View earlier this month. A memorial was held for Nishita on December 9th in San Jose.
Nishita is survived by his wife, two children, and three grandchildren. A trust fund has been set up to help his family. More information on donating to the trust fund can be found here.
The Oakland Police Department and Crime Stoppers of Oakland have offered a reward of up to $32,500 for information leading to an arrest.
Police are asking the individual who shot the video or anyone with information about the case to contact the department's Homicide Section at 510-238-3821.