OAKLAND — Police said they arrested two suspects in connection with the Sunday afternoon robbery of a television station’s photographer and shooting of a security guard outside a library.
In a statement Sunday night, Oakland police Officer Johnna Watson said a three-person crew from a local television station was working a story in the 1000 block of 81st Avenue at 4:47 p.m., when a vehicle pulled up and two suspects got out and robbed the crew’s cameraman.
According to police, one of the suspects shot the crew’s security guard in the upper leg, and the guard then returned fire. The suspects fled in the vehicle.
The guard was taken to an area hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries He was later released, police said Monday.
Around 5:15 p.m., a man apparently showed up at a local hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. Investigators said they were looking into whether he is connected with the incident.
Oakland police said officers pursued a suspect vehicle until it crashed moments later at 55th and Bancroft avenues, with a solo driver detained.
“Currently the Oakland Police Department has detained several other individuals in connection with this armed robbery/shooting and some of the loss has been recovered,” police said.
On Monday, police said investigators had recovered the camera.
In tweets Sunday, KPIX-TV said reporter Joe Vazquez was covering the Oakland teachers’ strike when they were robbed of a camera and tripod. A security guard watching over the reporter and crew was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital, the station said.
“Our guard was shot today in Oakland while we were on assignment covering the Oakland teachers strike,” Vazquez said in follow-up tweets. “We believe his wounds are not life threatening, thank God.
“Photographer John Anglin was robbed at gunpoint.John abandoned the camera, took cover inside the news van where I was and told me to get down. We heard a flurry of loud gunshots. Very close! More shots, I saw a guy drag the camera away and saw our guard Matt was hit. Quickly called 9-1-1.”
Vazquez identified the guard as a former Berkeley police officer and said his wounds did not appear life threatening: “He got some shots off at the robber. We are trying to confirm if a ‘walk-in’ gunshot wound patient at a local hospital may have been the perpetrator.”
For information leading to the arrest of a suspect, police are offering up to $10,000 in each shooting. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3326 or Crime Stoppers of Oakland at 510-777-8572.
Some troubling news: KPIX reporter @joenewsman and crew were out covering the #OaklandTeachersStrike when they were robbed of camera and tripod. Their security guard was shot in the leg and has been taken to the hospital. We will keep you updated.
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) February 25, 2019
Praying for the guard’s recovery. And so thankful our crew is safe. https://t.co/WESO2qKF3Y
— Maria Medina KPIX5 (@MariaKPIX) February 25, 2019
Thank you, friends, for your well wishes. Our guard was shot today in Oakland while we were on assignment covering the Oakland teachers strike. We believe his wounds are not life threatening, thank God. Photographer John Anglin was robbed at gunpoint. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/TP225CUJNQ
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
John abandoned the camera, took cover inside the news van where I was and told me to get down. We heard a flurry of loud gunshots. Very close! More shots, I saw a guy drag the camera away and saw our guard Matt was hit. Quickly called 9-1-1. pic.twitter.com/spinXPTiAC
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
We believe Matt is going to be okay. His wounds do not appear to be life threatening. He is a retired @berkeleypolice officer. He got some shots off at the robber. We are trying to confirm if a “walk-in” gunshot wound patient at a local hospital may have been the perpetrator.
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
Per Ray Kelly, spokesman at @ACSOSheriffs: a 21 year old man walked into Highland Hospital with several gunshot wounds this evening. Deputies held him and Oakland police arrested him as the suspect who shot our guard.
— Joe Vazquez (@joenewsman) February 25, 2019
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.