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OAKLAND – An attempted armed robbery outside Oakland City Hall during a TV crew interview with the city’s chief violence prevention officer has ended without injury, said sources Monday.
Just after 6 p.m., police said in a statement that two suspects approached a cameraman filming during an interview at 3:09 p.m. before attempting to take the camera at gunpoint.
After a scuffle, “the armed security officer drew his gun and ordered the suspects to leave. The suspects immediately left the area without a camera, â€and were still pending, police said.
Police officers, including a police spokesperson, intervened at the scene during an investigation. There were no injuries, police said.
“Please note that the suspects are still pending,” police said. “We encourage everyone to be vigilant of their environment and to report all crimes. Please stay safe.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the city of Oakland confirmed that the head of the Department of Violence Prevention, Guillermo Cespedes, was the person being questioned outside city hall.
The interview came hours after a press conference by Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, denouncing city council’s recent approval of a two-year budget that embezzled $ 18 million in requested funding by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for Police Towards Violence Prevention Efforts.
Cespedes, a former Los Angeles anti-gang czar who oversaw a significant drop in gang-related homicides, joined the city in September 2019 with a mandate to tackle the city’s homicide rate.
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
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