OAKLAND, Calif. – A tragic incident occurred on Friday in Oakland, California, as a police officer lost his life while responding to a report of a burglary at a marijuana dispensary. Tuan Le, 36, was among the officers who arrived at the cannabis business near Jack London Square at around 4:30 a.m. According to authorities, this was about 3 1/2 hours after the same business was reported to have been burglarized earlier.
The responding officers, both uniformed and plainclothes, witnessed several individuals leaving the business. One of them opened fire multiple times, hitting the officer, who was in plainclothes and driving an unmarked car, stated interim Police Chief Darren Allison at a news conference. Despite being rushed to the hospital by other officers, the wounded officer was pronounced dead about four hours after the shooting.
The fallen officer, Tuan Le, was remembered for his kindness, smile, and the positive impact he had on those around him. The community resource officer in West Oakland had recently graduated from the police academy and dedicated his life to serving and making the community safer, according to a statement from the city.
Following the tragic event, Mayor Sheng Thao referred to the killing as senseless violence, expressing devastation over the officer’s death. This incident marked the 54th death of an Oakland officer in the line of duty, which comes amid a rise in violent crimes driven by robberies in the area. Robberies involving a gun saw a 37% increase this year compared to the same period last year, as reported by police department figures. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with no arrests made yet, but authorities are actively pursuing leads and evidence related to the case.