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Gunman Kills Three Oakland, Calif. Officers, Wounds Fourth
By TERRY COLLINS and LISA LEFF
Associated Press Writers
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- A police officer was battling for his life and three more were dead after a parolee with an "extensive criminal history" opened fire at a routine traffic stop and hours later gunned down members of a SWAT team searching for him.
The gunman was also killed Saturday, capping a day of violence that the Oakland Police Department said was the worst in its history. Never before had three police officers died in the line of duty on the same day.
"It's in these moments that words are extraordinarily inadequate," said Mayor Ron Dellums at a somber news conference Saturday night.
The mayhem began that afternoon, when two motorcycle patrol officers stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland, Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said. The driver opened fire, killing Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, and gravely wounding Officer John Hege, 41.
The gunman then fled on foot, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic.
About two hours later, officers got an anonymous tip that the gunman was inside a nearby apartment building.
A SWAT team had entered an apartment to clear and search it when the gunman shot them with an assault rifle, police said.
Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35, were killed and a third officer was grazed by a bullet, police said.
SWAT team members returned fire, killing 26-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland, Acting Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said.
Officer Hege suffered brain damage and may not survive, his father, Dr. John S. Hege, said late Saturday.
"It is a stunning thing to face," he said.
Grieving officers at the police station hugged and consoled each other. People left four bouquets of white roses under a granite memorial wall inside the building lobby that lists 47 officers killed in the line of duty. The wall shows the last officer killed in Oakland was in January of 1999.
Police said Mixon wielded two different weapons. One gun was used at the first scene and an assault rifle was used at the apartment building where he was hiding.
Jordan said Mixon had an "extensive criminal history" and was wanted on a no-bail warrant.
"(Mixon) was on parole and he had a warrant out for his arrest for violating that parole. And he was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon," said Oakland police Deputy Chief Jeffery Israel.
Police said they did not know exactly why the officers initially stopped the suspect, but said it apparently was a routine traffic stop.
People lingered at the scene of the first shooting. About 20 bystanders taunted police.
Tension between police and the community has risen steadily since the fatal shooting of unarmed 22-year-old Oscar Grant by a transit police officer at an Oakland train station on Jan. 1.
That former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer, Johannes Mehserle, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday. Violent protests erupted on the streets of Oakland in the weeks after Grant's death, further inflaming tensions.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger planned to fly to Oakland on Sunday from Washington, D.C., to meet with police and Mayor Dellums, the govenor's office said.
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Associated Press writer Tim Reiterman contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press Writers
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- A police officer was battling for his life and three more were dead after a parolee with an "extensive criminal history" opened fire at a routine traffic stop and hours later gunned down members of a SWAT team searching for him.
This is an undated photo combo of images released by the Oakland Police Department of Oakland Police officers from left: Sgt. Mark Dunakin, Officer John Hege, Sgt. Daniel Sakai and Sgt. Ervin Romans. A man wanted for violating his parole killed three police officers and gravely wounded Hege during the in two shootings Saturday, March 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Oakland Police Department)
Unidentified law enforcement officials embrace outside the emergency entrance to Highland Hospital in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, March 21, 2009 after four Oakland police officers were shot by a suspect who was pulled over for a traffic stop. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)
The gunman was also killed Saturday, capping a day of violence that the Oakland Police Department said was the worst in its history. Never before had three police officers died in the line of duty on the same day.
"It's in these moments that words are extraordinarily inadequate," said Mayor Ron Dellums at a somber news conference Saturday night.
The mayhem began that afternoon, when two motorcycle patrol officers stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland, Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said. The driver opened fire, killing Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, and gravely wounding Officer John Hege, 41.
The gunman then fled on foot, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic.
About two hours later, officers got an anonymous tip that the gunman was inside a nearby apartment building.
A SWAT team had entered an apartment to clear and search it when the gunman shot them with an assault rifle, police said.
Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35, were killed and a third officer was grazed by a bullet, police said.
SWAT team members returned fire, killing 26-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland, Acting Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said.
Officer Hege suffered brain damage and may not survive, his father, Dr. John S. Hege, said late Saturday.
"It is a stunning thing to face," he said.
Grieving officers at the police station hugged and consoled each other. People left four bouquets of white roses under a granite memorial wall inside the building lobby that lists 47 officers killed in the line of duty. The wall shows the last officer killed in Oakland was in January of 1999.
Police said Mixon wielded two different weapons. One gun was used at the first scene and an assault rifle was used at the apartment building where he was hiding.
Jordan said Mixon had an "extensive criminal history" and was wanted on a no-bail warrant.
"(Mixon) was on parole and he had a warrant out for his arrest for violating that parole. And he was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon," said Oakland police Deputy Chief Jeffery Israel.
Police said they did not know exactly why the officers initially stopped the suspect, but said it apparently was a routine traffic stop.
People lingered at the scene of the first shooting. About 20 bystanders taunted police.
Tension between police and the community has risen steadily since the fatal shooting of unarmed 22-year-old Oscar Grant by a transit police officer at an Oakland train station on Jan. 1.
That former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer, Johannes Mehserle, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Monday. Violent protests erupted on the streets of Oakland in the weeks after Grant's death, further inflaming tensions.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger planned to fly to Oakland on Sunday from Washington, D.C., to meet with police and Mayor Dellums, the govenor's office said.
___
Associated Press writer Tim Reiterman contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by anne potter on
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Prayer to all the family of the hero's taken from us.. The brave Policemen who put it out there to protect us....
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Permalink Reply by Me'Licia on
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My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those officers involved. May they all find peace.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Klaene on
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family including their extended family at Oakland PD. To the officers killed, our thanks for your sacrifice in protecting the citizens of Oakland , May you rest in peace!
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Permalink Reply by Muriel on
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I am sending my deepest sympathy to all families and police officers that have lost a son,brother,husband,dad,friend and co-worker...from Canada...Sigh! I just feel so empty..as I read in another post..when is the "killing going to stop! R.I.P.
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Permalink Reply by rudebutcool on
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so much sympathy to the families of these slain officers...now, what judge let this guy out of jail?...assault with a deadly weapon means he used a gun to shoot at someone else...must have been his good behavior in jail that got him early parole...
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Permalink Reply by Dennis Brown on
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My thoughts & prayers go out to the familys
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This is a horrible tragedy and I pray for the families of these heros who died doing what they swore to do..I can not imagine how hard the next week will be for the Law enforcement and Fire Ems family. Thank you for the supreme sacrifice you all made and may God watch over each of your families...
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Mackey on
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God bless these heros and be with their families in this time of tragedy. ALL public safety personnel are endangered by those who are let out by lenient judges and bleeding heart parole boards. When will we learn that some people just don't ever belong loose in society. And those taunting the police at the scene? Let them rot in hell with the gunman. They are little better.
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My thoughts and prayers go out the slain police officers and their family and friends. May you heroes rest in peace. God Bless.
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Permalink Reply by Greg Carttar on
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My most sincere and respectful condolences to all personnel effected by this incident.
Please know that our thoughts are with you.
Greg Carttar
Safety Officer
Central Taney County Fire Protection District
Mildred, Missouri
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Permalink Reply by Sherry Wood on
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Thoughts and prayers to the families and friends... God Bless.
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