Three Oakland Police Officers Killed, One Critically Wounded After Traffic Stop
March 22nd, 2009Via: San Jose Mercury News:
In the most horrific day in Oakland Police Department history, a parolee shot to death three police sergeants within two hours of one another Saturday afternoon.
When officers tracked down the suspect, a fourth officer was shot and was in critical condition Saturday night.
The three veteran officers killed were sergeants: Mark Dunakin, 40, of Tracy, a traffic officer with the department since 1991; Erv Romans, 43, of Danville, a 13-year veteran with the force; and Dan Sakai, 35, a nine-year veteran, police said.
Romans and Sakai were SWAT team members. It was the first time any sergeant in the department had been slain.
Officer John Hege, 41, of Concord, was on life support at Highland Hospital. A bullet grazed a fifth, unidentified officer. He was treated and released from the hospital.
The suspect was identified as Oakland resident Lovelle Mixon, 26. He was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon, police said. He had a no-bail warrant for his arrest on charges of violating parole. He had previous convictions in Alameda County for grand theft and possession of marijuana.
The question that stuck out was how was he able to hit two SWAT officers? It is understandable that the motorcycle patrol officers would be unprepared, but it is supposed to require very good aim to hit anything in an uncontrolled situation, and you’d think the SWAT members would have special cover and vests.
The shooter was using some type of assault rifle at the second location, any of which would penetrate all but the heaviest body armor.