Shooting Spree in Oakland - 4 officers and a suspect dead
Violence is not unusual in Oakland, but today's violence is just another grim reminder that when people are desperate or feeling threatened, they will make the most fatal of choices.
Apparently, 4 police officers were gunned down, and there are conflicting news reports stating that they are all either dead or critically wounded. In any case, they were taken to Highland Hospital, where the media and interested parties are gathering and awaiting a news conference scheduled for 7:00 PM.
One of the suspects is confirmed dead.
It began with the fatal shooting of two officers during a routine traffic stop near 73rd and Hillside Streets, around 1:15 PM on Saturday. A chase ensued, with more officers joining in the chase and manhunt. Apparently the suspect barricaded themselves in a house, and consequently shot two more cops before it was over.
I live just through the tunnel---the Caldecott Tunnel, and I visit Oakland weekly---well, not 73rd and Hillside. I visit a different part of Oakland, where I can buy a delicious steamed latte, and hot toasted bagel with cream cheese, and casually sit at one of the sidewalk tables, reading my EastBay Express. That's the only part of Oakland that I really care to spend much time in these days.
Parts of Oakland ARE scary, and when you hear stories like this, it just makes it that much more disappointing that people are still living in poverty, still subsisting on crime, still lacking resources, still living as if they have no promise, no option--except to live a stereotyped kind of life.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
SpiritManSF
And yet
Michael Fox
Ablonde
SuiJuris94
Bill Maher
Salon.com
Comments
People live like that because they want to live like that. You don't have to look far to find stories about people like Oprah. You may not have to look but around the corner to see someone who started like that, but doesn't anymore, maybe not like Oprah, but not like you are talking about.
I think my comments are meant to convey that there is still a hopelessness that exists, there's still a seemingly uneducated or unmotivated to BE educated part of the population.
Of course, there is the psychology of being in a low SES, and a racial minority, and being raised with the idea that this IS all that there is, that you can't aspire to anything more, because this IS the culture that they know and understand.
Ouch, it sounds like you had a rough and tumble month here in the Bay Area. People can be cold, cruel---so can life. It's always quite shocking to me that people can so casually kill each other, as if snuffing someone out, taking away a life and a spirit, is simply a of course. It frightens me terribly.
Of course there are the sociopathic types, for whom guilt, remorse, shame, and empathy are an unavailable commodity.
Instead of thinking how sad it is that people are depressed and hopeless, you might think about the reaction of police officers who’s buddies have just been slain. It’s always an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Our President understands the inner city plight and now would be a perfect time for him to visit Oakland and ask for peace.
After last week’s horrible “special olympics” comment that was whitewashed by the main stream media, a visit to Oakland would be redemptive... I’m moving this issue to our President because he and his ilk are responsible to some degree for the escalation in race and class warfare which contributes to the type of violence seen in Oakland. Ever since the accidental BART shooting of a black teen several months ago, the race issue has been red hot and some in Oakland are probably cheering that Justice was served on the pigs last night... Come on Obama, help us heal.
Well that is utterly unsubstantiated by anything even tangential to reality. You are clearly biased or insane... maybe a bit of each. I won't be reading your forthcoming book on race in america.
No, I think you are a raving crazy person. The DNC is busing unions to protest outside AIG? You are a maniac. Much to-do was made of Condaleeza being a first black XXXXX as well; it is certainly worth noting, but I have not exactly been knocked over by endless stories on the news of first black anything. There has been an epic tale of financial woe, perhaps that has distracted me.
The real sign of your lack of emotional lucidity was the nonsensical connection between Obama and the shooting of police officers by a felon.
What on EARTH has this to do with Obama? I don't get the cynicism being posted by a couple of you here. This kind of violence has been happening in Oakland...all over the country for EVER!
Do you really think that this ought to be made a political talking point? Do you really think that this is about Conservative thinking versus Liberal thinking?
The kid, Mr. Nixon who killed these 4 men was a violent, probably sociopathic criminal. This wasn't about politics for him, and I doubt that it was a shoot the whitey cop epiphany that he was having when he fired those shots.
Toni. I’m not a political taking point guy, but I certainly see a correlation between Liberal ideology and class/race warfare. Didn’t our new Atty General just call us a “nation of cowards” on the whole issue of race? Obama was only mentioned in the sense that this could be the type of situation that could benefit from his timely intervention, as he's certainly not as a proximate cause.
When you made that point about Obama stepping up and cooling the waters around this Oakland incident, I felt that I agreed with you. I wish that he could have an effect on the situation.