6 Killings Since Sunday in Oakland as it Struggles with a Deadly Surge of Violence

Oakland has had a particularly deadly week, with at least six killings since Sunday due to gun violence. These incidents began on:

• Sunday in East Oakland, where 42-year-old Deneisha Huey was killed.
• Monday at 4:45 p.m. near 3rd and Linden streets in West Oakland which resulted in one woman's death. Later that night at 9:50 p.m., a man was killed near 37th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way in West Oakland. 
• Wednesday included a shooting at 9 p.m. at a homeless encampment near East 12th Street and 16th Avenue in the San Antonio neighborhood, as well as an incident after midnight near East 18th Street and 5th Avenue, resulting in one man's death and a second person injured. 

 

UPDATE: Double shooting near homeless camp at East 12th & 16th Ave. marks the 6th homicide in Oakland since Sunday. @oaklandpoliceca investigating spree of violence. Bishop Bob Jackson of @actsfullgospel speaks out, 5,6,7 p.m. #KTVUPlus @KTVU pic.twitter.com/5JO6WaBsby

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) August 31, 2023

 

With the city's predominantly Black neighborhoods disproportionately affected, the local NAACP and Bishop Bob Jackson have demanded urgent action from city officials. Sending an impassioned letter, they urged elected leaders to unite, declare a state of emergency, and bring together massive resources to address the public safety crisis.

Oakland’s crime surge has fractured the bond between the community and its leaders, stirring accusations of "failed leadership" while the Alameda County District Attorney's Office disputes the narrative that city officials have not done enough, as suggested in a CNN article. The union representing Oakland police officers maintains that more officers are needed on the streets, estimating that the city requires around 1,200 officers rather than the current 715 on staff per CNN.

It remains to be seen how Oakland leadership and the community will come together to address the scourge of violence that is in their streets, but it is an ongoing conversation that will shape the path forward for all involved.