Crime

Oakland Police See Spike in Homicides

Published

6 years ago

July 9, 2020

Oakland, CA — The City has seen a recent spike in homicides, between June 24 to July 2nd, seven lives have been lost to violence.

The Oakland Police Department asks our community to join us as we voice a call to action to “Put the guns down”. As a community, we must come together to reduce violence and improve safety.

On July 2, 2020, at 4:58 PM, officers responded to a report of a shooting in the area of 72nd Avenue and International Boulevard. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds, the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On July 1, 2020, at 7:34 PM, officers responded to the 2500 block of Embarcadero on a report of a shooting. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased at a local hospital.

On July 1, 2020, at 12:11 AM, officers responded to the to the 2500 block of International Boulevard on an alert from a ShotSpotter activation, regarding gunshots. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

On June 29, 2020, at 2:54AM, officers responded to the 7700 block of Krause Avenue on a report of a stabbing. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from fatal stab wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

On June 28, 2020, at 2:08 PM, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of 42nd Avenue to investigate a report of a fire. OPD officers and the Oakland Fire Department located several burned tents. Officers located a deceased female inside one of the burnt tents. On July 1, 2020, the Oakland Police Department’s Homicide Unit deemed this investigation a homicide.

On June 28, 2020, at 1:19 AM, officers responded to the 3500 block of Dimond Avenue on a report of a shooting. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

On June 24, 2020, at about 2:05AM, officers were dispatched to the 9100 block of E St regarding a shooting. When officers arrived on scene they located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene.

The Department is seeing a sustained level of inner group and renewed conflicts with gangs and groups, generating gunfire not only at each other but also shootings at residential homes and cars. The Oakland Police Department Ceasefire Team, the Department of Violence Prevention and Community Partners continue to work towards reducing gun violence and improving public safety.

We ask our community to partner with the Department and the City to reduce violence by helping to provide information: “If you know something, say something.” If you were a witness or have information regarding a crime, you can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers of Oakland TIP LINE (510) 777-8572.

The Oakland Police Department’s Homicide Section (510) 238-3821.

We encourage our community to opt into our camera registry program https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/register-your-securitycamera?_ga=2.97709471.1425431140.1580770016-296443967.1572396264 Get involved in a community lead group, together we can all make a difference.

*ShotSpotter is an advanced system of sensors, algorithms and artificial intelligence that detects, locates and alerts police to gunshots in real-time. Once the analyst confirms the sound was gunfire, police are notified.

For more information, please contact the Media Relations Office at (510) 2387230 or opdmedia@oaklandca.gov or Visit Nixle.com to receive Oakland Police Department alerts, advisories and community messages, or follow OPD on Twitter, @oaklandpoliceca.

Officer Johnna Watson

Posts by Officer Johnna Watson

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

Published

1 week ago

January 2, 2026

Oakland Post

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

Published

2 weeks ago

December 25, 2025

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Oakland Council Expands Citywide Security Cameras Despite Major Opposition

In a 7-1 vote in favor of the contract, with only District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife voting no, the Council agreed to maintain its existing network of 291 cameras and add 40 new “pan-tilt-zoom cameras.”

Published

3 weeks ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, Flock Safety introduces new public safety technology – Amplified Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered tools designed to improve law enforcement investigations. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland City Council this week approved a $2.25 million contract with Flock Safety for a mass surveillance network of hundreds of security cameras to track vehicles in the city.

In recent weeks hundreds of local residents have spoken against the camera system, raising concerns that data will be shared with immigration authorities and other federal agencies at a time when mass surveillance is growing across the country with little regard for individual rights.

The Flock network, supported by the Oakland Police Department, has the backing of residents and councilmembers who see it as an important tool to protect public safety.

“This system makes the Department more efficient as it allows for information related to disruptive/violent criminal activities to be captured … and allows for precise and focused enforcement,” OPD wrote in its proposal to City Council.

According to OPD, police made 232 arrests using data from Flock cameras between July 2024 and November of this year.

Based on the data, police say they recovered 68 guns, and utilizing the countywide system, they have found 1,100 stolen vehicles.

However, Flock’s cameras cast a wide net. The company’s cameras in Oakland last month captured license plate numbers and other information from about 1.4 million vehicles.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Fife was critical of her colleagues for signing a contract with a company that has been in the national spotlight for sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock’s cameras – which are automated license plate readers – have been used in tracking people who have had abortions, monitoring protesters, and aiding in deportation roundups.

“I don’t know how we get up and have several press conferences talking about how we are supportive of a sanctuary city status but then use a vendor that has been shown to have a direct relationship with (the U.S.) Border Control,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several councilmembers who voted in favor of the contract said they supported the deal as long as some safeguards were written into the Council’s resolution.

“We’re not aiming for perfection,” said District 1 Councilmember Zac Unger. “This is not Orwellian facial recognition technology — that’s prohibited in Oakland. The road forward here is to add as many amendments as we can.”

Amendments passed by the Council prohibit OPD from sharing camera data with any other agencies for the purpose of “criminalizing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare” or for federal immigration enforcement. California state law also prohibits the sharing of license plate reader data with the federal government, and because Oakland’s sanctuary city status, OPD is not allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

A former member of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission has sued OPD, alleging that it has violated its own rules around data sharing.

So far, OPD has shared Flock data with 50 other law enforcement agencies.