Ten years after 30-year-old Brian Bole was shot and killed while walking home on Richmond Boulevard, Oakland marked a somber anniversary today. Federal and local investigators publicly revisited the case, and family, friends and neighbors say the unresolved killing still haunts the area.
FBI renews reward and plea for tips
The FBI is continuing to offer a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to an arrest in Bole's murder, according to the FBI. The agency's case file states that on April 10, 2016, at approximately 12:15 AM, Bole, then 30, was murdered while walking towards his residence on Richmond Boulevard. To mark the ten-year milestone, the FBI San Francisco field office also shared an anniversary appeal on social media, hoping to shake loose new leads.
What investigators say about the shooting
Police statements and early news coverage placed the shooting in the 3000 block of Richmond Boulevard, near 30th Street in the Temescal neighborhood, and reported that Bole had just left a nearby bar before he was attacked. Officers told reporters that his phone and wallet were still with him when they arrived, and investigators released surveillance images of people and vehicles they described as being of interest in the case. As reported by SFGATE, tips did come in early in the investigation but have not resulted in an arrest.
Family remembers a scientist
Relatives and friends recall Bole as a former NASA fellow and health data analyst who moved to the Bay Area for work and spent his free time hiking and dining at local restaurants. Family members flew in after the killing and have repeatedly partnered with investigators and the FBI to keep his case visible. Earlier reporting by ABC7 detailed their outreach efforts in the days immediately following the shooting.
How to pass along tips
City guidance notes that anyone with information should contact the Oakland Police Department anonymous tip line at (510) 238-7950 or the Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821. The FBI also accepts tips online at tips.fbi.gov, where its case file includes reward details and contact information. Both city and federal notices emphasize that any photos or videos from the night of the shooting could be especially valuable to investigators.
A decade after Bole's death, the investigation remains open and active, and detectives and family members say even small, previously overlooked details could generate new leads. As the anniversary passes, officials are again urging that anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, share it with authorities.
