Oakland Lawmaker Denounces Pence For Linking Officer's Killing To Protests, Omitting Alt-Right 'Boogaloo' Arrest
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan denounced Vice President Mike Pence Thursday, a day after his remarks on the killing of federal officer Patrick Underwood that omitted any mention of the suspect being linked to the alt-right "Boogaloo" movement associated with white supremacy.
At the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, Pence falsely connected the killing of Underwood outside a federal courthouse in Oakland to the George Floyd protests happening elsewhere in the city on the evening of May 29.
During his nomination acceptance speech, Pence addressed what he called "the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country."
"The violence must stop, whether in Minneapolis, Portland or Kenosha, too many heroes have died defending our freedom to see Americans strike each other down. We will have law and order on the streets of this country for every American of every race and creed and color.
President Trump and I know that the men and women who put on the uniform of law enforcement are the best of us. Every day, when they walk out that door, they consider our lives more important than their own.
People like Dave Patrick Underwood, an officer in the Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service, who was shot and killed during the riots in Oakland, Calif. Dave's heroism is emblematic of the heroes that serve in blue every day. We are privileged tonight to be joined by his sister, Angela.
Angela, we say to you: We grieve with your family. And America will never forget or fail to honor officer Dave Patrick Underwood."
The alleged gunman is Air Force Staff Sgt. Steven Carrillo, linked to the Boogaloo movement -- a right-wing extremist group that harbors a mistrust of law enforcement and government and anticipates a second American Civil War, referred to as the "boogaloo."
"Vice President Mike Pence's speech during the Republican National Convention contained deeply misleading statements regarding the horrific murder of Dave Patrick Underwood in Oakland," said Kaplan in a statement. "Pence wrongly attempted to tie this killing to the Black Lives Matter movement, which, in fact, had no involvement in the killing.
Underwood worked with Federal Protective Services of the Department of Homeland Security. His partner was injured during the attack.
Federal prosecutors say Carillo and others spoke about using the George Floyd demonstration in Oakland that night as a cover to kill Underwood and wound his partner.
"Mr. Underwood's tragic murder was not part of any demonstration, but an act of a violent, armed white supremacist," said Kaplan. "Pence's lies attempt to discredit important movements for social justice, and to move blame away from violent white supremacist murder.
Carillo is also charged with the murder of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and the attempted murder of several other deputies in an ambush on June 6th in the mountain community of Ben Lomond.
"Communities are put in greater danger when white supremacist murder is excused or blamed on others -- while the President and Vice President continue to encourage violent killings by their supporters ... it is disgusting and wrong for anyone, especially the Vice President, to try to blame the Black Lives Matter movement," said Kaplan.