Fatal officer-involved shooting sparks protest in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A large group protesting Wednesday's fatal officer-involved shooting in Oakland marched for hours Wednesday night and briefly stopped traffic on Interstate 980, upsetting many drivers stuck in the traffic backup.

Protesters marched onto freeway in Oakland just after 10 p.m. and also blocked cars from going down the 27th Street off-ramp. Police came shortly after to clear the protesters off I-980 and the off-ramp. A police line then blocked protesters from going back onto the off-ramp.

The group started their protest at 7 p.m. at the intersection of 27th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Oakland where a 24-year-old armed robbery suspect was shot just hours before. Protesters then marched for hours towards downtown and circled back to the same intersection where they began.

A Starbucks store window was broken and some trash bins were lit on fire, but for the most part the protest remained peaceful.

Wednesday afternoon, the suspect was shot by Oakland police following a pursuit and alleged carjacking attempt in West Oakland. The suspect later died at a hospital from his injuries.

The police chase began at 2:39 p.m. when officers in the area of 69th Avenue and International Boulevard spotted a vehicle, believed to be connected to a previous armed robbery, according to police spokeswoman Officer Johnna Watson.

Armed robbery suspect shot, killed by Oakland police during chase

The officers attempted to pull the driver over, but he fled, leading police on a pursuit through Oakland city streets. An Oakland police helicopter tracked the car during the pursuit, Watson said.

The pursuit lasted about seven miles until the suspect crashed into another car on 27th Street between Northgate Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Watson said.

The suspect ran from the car and, armed with a gun, tried to carjack another driver. As police ran up, there was a confrontation with the suspect and at least one officer opened fire.

The suspect was struck by gunfire and taken to a hospital, where he died. Police have not released his name and identified him only as a 24-year-old Oakland resident.

No officers were injured during the confrontation. Watson could not say whether the suspect fired his gun during the confrontation, but said a gun believed to be the suspect's was recovered at the scene.

At a press conference held Wednesday evening, Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent said three officers were involved in the incident. One was a seven-year veteran of the force, one was a six-year veteran and the other was a one-year veteran.

Whent added that the gun recovered at the scene was listed as stolen and was loaded.

The Oakland police homicide and internal affairs units are investigating the shooting along with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Bay City News contributed to this report.