Unidentified Berkeley police officer and a Berkeley man were both shot in Oakland Wednesday as a KRON4 crew was being robbed while filming. Bay Area News Station reports.
Ironically, while reporting on another crew member in a string thefts at Oakland’s Prime 356 clothing store Prime 356 smash-and-grabs, the crew was attacked by armed robbers. According to police, the criminals were looking for their camera equipment. The shots were fired at 12:20 p.m. on Nov 24.
The crew’s security guard—a former police officer—is reportedly in stable condition after being shot in the lower abdomen and taken to Highland Hospital for surgery. According to reports, the second victim involved in the incident was also taken to Highland Hospital for treatment. The attempted robbery was unsuccessful.It was unsuccessful.
KRON4, the station’s parent company Nexstar Media Inc., the Oakland Police Department and security company Star Protection Agency are offering a reward of $25,000 to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals involved in the shootings.
The latest crime in a string of crimes that have rocked both the Bay Area as well as the Los Angeles region in recent weeks is the Prime 356 robbery. The robbery involved 80 suspects and took place last Saturday at the Nordstrom store in San Francisco. The night prior, a string of incidents unfolded at San Francisco’s Union Square, with Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Bloomingdale’s and Walgreens among the businesses hit, according to S.F. Police Chief Bill Scott via CNN.
This past Wednesday, an L.A.-area Nordstrom was hit, with around $25,000 worth of designer handbags stolen from Canoga Park’s Westfield Topanga mall, and another security guard coming under attack.
Other L.A.-area venues that were recently targeted included the Beverly Center, The Grove and a CVS Pharmacy located in the 5800 block South Vermont Avenue in South L.A. Also recently, the windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills and Louis Vuitton were smashed.
California Gov. While touring a Bay Area vaccination clinic, Gavin Newsom made a statement about the string of crimes that rocked California on Monday. “I have no sympathy, no empathy whatsoever for people smashing and grabbing, stealing people’s items, creating havoc and terror on our streets. None. Period. Full stop,”He stated. “We want real accountability. We want people prosecuted, and we want people to feel safe this holiday season.”
City News Service contributed this report.