Occupy Oakland protestors are being issued a formal notice to vacate following a fatal shooting near the camp at Frank Ogawa Plaza, Mayor Jean Quan said today.
In a statement issued today, Quan said Thursday night’s shooting, in which a man in his early 20s was killed just before 5 p.m. on the 1400 block of Broadway, had “elevated concerns about the safety of the encampment and people who also use the space.”
“The risks are too great and it is time for the encampment to end,” Quan said.
Both protesters and police have said there is no apparent connection between the shooting and the encampment.
However, Quan said that the Police Department’s resources need to return to addressing violence and said that the homicide “underscores the reasons why the encampment must end.”
Quan said that a cameraman was also assaulted after the shooting by a group of individuals at the encampment, and suffered a mild concussion.
In addition, emergency personnel were called to the camp at 4 a.m. today to assist a 20-year-old male who seemed to be suffering from a drug or alcohol overdose. He was taken to Summit Medical Center for treatment.
Ongoing problems with vandalism have been reported near the encampment, and Quan’s statement said that electrical power boxes for outside lights have been forced open. City public works employees have been conducting daily vandalism and graffiti cleanups and daily power washing of the plaza and surrounding areas.
Sara Gaiser, Bay City News
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