An Oakland man threatening to harm himself was found wearing body armor on the 1500 block of Alice Street three weeks ago, prompting a response that ended with officers safely detaining him — and later uncovering an AK-style rifle, body armor, ammunition, and equipment for building untraceable firearms inside his residence.
According to an advisory from the Oakland Police Department, officers responded on September 5 to a report of a man in crisis threatening self-harm in West Oakland. Police located a man matching the description on the 1500 block of Alice Street who was wearing protective body armor, and officers used de-escalation training to detain him safely. A loaded firearm was found on him at the time, and he was transported for a mental health evaluation, the department said.
The incident took place in West Oakland. Southlake Tower, a 130-unit affordable housing high-rise for low-income seniors, is in downtown Oakland, according to earlier Hoodline reporting on conditions at the building.
Search Warrant Turns Up Rifle, Manufacturing Equipment
After the man was detained, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and recovered multiple firearms, the department's advisory states. Among the items found were an AK-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine, a large quantity of ammunition, and additional body armor beyond what the man had been wearing.
Officers also recovered equipment used to manufacture privately made firearms — commonly known as ghost guns — inside the home, per the same advisory. OPD did not say in the advisory whether the recovered equipment was operational or whether the man has since been formally charged.
Hoodline previously reported on a separate case in which an Oakland ghost gun arrest also involved a federal warrant.
Why an Armed Crisis Call Required a Tactical Team
Oakland's civilian crisis-response program, MACRO, is not built for calls like this one. The Mobile Assistance Community Responders program explicitly excludes responding to situations involving visible weapons, active violence, or incidents inside private residences; workers may call police for unsafe situations, according to the City of Oakland.
Officers used de-escalation to detain the man safely.
California Firearm Prohibition
California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 8103 addresses a firearm prohibition.
The Oakland Police Department said in its advisory that it remains committed to protecting the public and removing illegal firearms from neighborhoods.
