Oakland Police Release Video of 43-Year-Old's Fatal Shooting, Showing 2 Bladed Poles
Updated
Updated · KQED · Aug 13
Oakland Police Release Video of 43-Year-Old's Fatal Shooting, Showing 2 Bladed Poles
3 articles · Updated · KQED · Aug 13
Summary
Body-camera footage released Wednesday shows José Ángel Castillo, 43, being followed for about a minute before Oakland officers shot him in a Fruitvale parking lot on July 13.
The video shows Castillo carrying two homemade bladed poles, ignoring repeated orders to drop them, then swinging one seconds after officers deployed Tasers; no officer appears within arm’s reach when he swings.
Two officers fired their weapons, Castillo died at the scene after resuscitation efforts, and the shooters were placed on paid administrative leave while OPD, the Alameda County DA and the city’s civilian review agency investigate.
Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project said Castillo appeared to be in mental-health crisis, questioned CHP’s role and argued officers should have backed off and called non-police responders.
The shooting was Oakland police’s third this year and comes about seven weeks before a federal judge is set to decide whether to end more than 20 years of court oversight of the department.