Oakland Police Say Attempt To Stop Gang Retaliation Led To Shooting
OAKLAND (KCBS/BCN) - Oakland police said a man shot and killed by officers Monday was being pulled over as police attempted to prevent a retaliatory gang shooting.
Police said the man killed, 19-year-old Obataiye Edwards, of Oakland, was a suspected gang member and was armed with a gun.
Officers said Tuesday that Edwards was shot when he pulled a gun on the pursuing officers after the car he was riding in crashed in East Oakland, leading to a foot chase. One other suspect was taken into custody at the scene. Two more suspects were able to elude police.
KCBS' Bob Butler Reports:
Acting Lt. Tony Jones said the chase began when undercover gang enforcement task force officers went to the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Sycamore Street in West Oakland about 1:30 p.m. Monday because they had received a tip that members of the PT Gang were going to shoot members of the rival Acorn Gang, who operate in that area.
Police believe the shooting was to be in retaliation for recent shootings in which the Acorn gang targeted PT members, Jones said.
"We received information yesterday that they were getting ready to do a retaliatory shooting," said Officer Jeff Thomason.
Jones said the PT Gang generally consists of black youths between the ages of 15 and 25 and that its members are known for carrying assault weapons. They are believed to be responsible for "well over a dozen homicides," he said.
"We were trying to protect the community and stop the gang members from killing people," Jones said.
Edwards was in a car that police believe was seen leaving the scene of another shooting in Oakland last Friday in which no one was injured. But on Monday afternoon, police spotted the 1990 maroon Lincoln sedan in the West Oakland area after the Gang Investigation Task Force received information that a shooting was scheduled to take place. The vehicle with several occupants observed to be inside, fled when police tried to pull it over.
Jones said two uniformed officers came "face to face" with a suspect, later identified as Edwards, who he said drew a .380-caliber pistol.
The two officers fired at Edwards, who was hit by the gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Jones.
Jones said one of the other suspects was arrested and is being interviewed by investigators but two suspects are still at large.
The pistol that Edwards allegedly was carrying was found near his body and a loaded SKS assault rifle was found in the Lincoln sedan.
Jones said Edwards has a criminal record but declined to release it.
This is the sixth officer-involved shooting in Oakland this year, four of which have been fatal.
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