Man in Critical Condition After Shooting Self in Abdomen Following BART Police Confrontation

A man was critically injured Tuesday night after shooting himself in the abdomen during a confrontation with BART police at the West Oakland BART station.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

Around 8 p.m., BART officers approached a man smoking on the station platform and asked him to extinguish his cigarette. Smoking on the platform is prohibited.

Police said the man provided officers with a false name and then threatened to jump in front of an oncoming train.

Officers made contact with the man, who resisted violently and reached for his waist, police said.

Officers Tased the man, and he shot himself in the abdomen as he attempted to retrieve his weapon, police said.

Investigators have recovered the man’s weapon and a bullet casing from the scene.

The West Oakland BART station was closed for several hours but reopened late Tuesday night.

The BART Police Department has called in the Alameda County District Attorney and the BART Independent Police Auditor to conduct investigations of the incident, police said.

The two officers involved in the incident were wearing body cameras, and the footage is being reviewed.

Dennis Culver, Bay City News

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