Slaying of Oakland officer Tuan Le cuts deep across Bay Area communities
OAKLAND -- The death of Oakland police officer Tuan Le has affected many across the Bay Area, but it's had a particularly significant impact on the local AAPI community, many of whom knew Officer Le personally and commended him for his commitment and service to Oakland.
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Carl Chan is the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation and has worked extensively with the AAPI community over the years.
When Chan heard the news that 36-year-old Officer Le was killed in the line of duty Friday, he was crushed.
"It's quite sad and upsetting because, at the beginning, we didn't know the name. But once we found out it was it was Officer Tuan Le it was pretty devastating," Chan said.
Chan says he met Officer Le a few times at different events in town adding that one of Officer Le's relatives is on the board of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation.
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"Upbeat, very happy. You know, whenever things happened he was always, you know, pretty calm. When you were around him you would always feel calm and safe," Chan said.
According to Oakland police, Officer Le was born in Vietnam and moved to Oakland. He officially became an American citizen on Sept. 11, 2001 and graduated from the police academy in Feb. 2020.
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OPD described Le as a devoted husband and someone who will be remembered for his kindness, his smile and the positive change he brought to the lives of those around him. They called him a true hero who dedicated his life to making the community safer.
Chan said he couldn't agree more.
"You know we want to send our appreciation to Officer Le and also thank OPD for what they're doing in supporting our city and our community," Chan said.
Chan says they plan to start a fund to collect donations for the family but they also plan to be here for the long haul not just as a source of financial support but, even more importantly to them, as a source of emotional support.