Oakland, California – On December 31, 2019, at 11:37 AM, Oakland Police officers responded to the 2000 block of Mountain Boulevard to a report of a laptop theft inside a local business. The victim followed the suspect(s) to recover the laptop; unfortunately the victim was critically injured as the suspect(s) vehicle fled via the 6100 block of Antioch Street. The Oakland Fire Department was in the immediate area and was able to render medical attention. The victim was transported to a local hospital and later succumbed to his injuries.
“Nobody should feel unsafe walking around their neighborhood, working in a coffee shop, or operating a business in Oakland,” stated Councilmember Thao, “Oakland must prioritize its resources to not only protect its community but stop crimes before they happen.”
Councilmember Sheng Thao is taking this uptick in crime very seriously and is working closely with the Oakland Police Department and the Montclair Village Association, as well as other members of the community to find solutions to address crime.
“The 2014 Oakland Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act (also known as Measure Z) allocates funding for geographic policing. I’ve seen that many Officers are being taken away from their areas of policing for non-emergency special projects such as homeless encampment cleanups.” says Thao. “It’s important to me that our limited police resources are used to protect and serve our communities. That is why I’ll be bringing forward a policy directive that keeps an area’s walking officer in their area of patrol, so that no area is left without public safety patrol.”
The Oakland Police Department is currently working to fill staffing vacancies. Councilmember Thao is urging OPD to focus on local hiring to ensure better staff retention and a police force rooted in Oakland’s communities and values.
Councilmember Sheng Thao will be at this weekend’s Montclair Farmers Market on Sunday January 5th from 10am-12pm to engage with the community. Councilmember Thao will also be holding a Public Safety Town Hall on Thursday January 9th from 7pm-8:30pm at Montclair Presbyterian Church, 5701 at Thornhill Dr, Oakland. This Town Hall will include Area Police Captain and his team, the Montclair Neighborhood Council and Daniel Swafford, Executive Director of the Montclair Village Association.
“Oakland is a beautiful place to live,” said the Councilmember, “but tragedies like this remind us of the work we have to make it safer. My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the victim and I am committed to finding solutions to this uptick in crime.”
The Oakland Police Department and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information that would lead to an arrest in this case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821
Sheng Thao was elected November 2018 to the Oakland City Council, representing District 4 with 11,736 votes. She is the first Hmong American woman to be elected to City Council in the State of California and the first Hmong to be elected in the City of Oakland.
Sheng Thao is the daughter of Hmong refugee parents from Laos. Sheng was born and raised in Stockton and is the 7th of 10 children. She is a domestic violence survivor and as a single mother, Sheng put herself through college while working and raising her son. She graduated as Valedictorian from Merritt College and transferred to U.C. Berkeley, where she earned her degree in Legal Studies.