Oakland man charged with murder in shooting death near former Occupy Oakland encampment
on December 2, 2011
A man police believe was responsible for the November 10 shooting death at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland near what was then the Occupy Oakland encampment has been arrested and charged with murder, according to a bulletin released Friday afternoon by Oakland Police Department spokesperson Cynthia Perkins.
Norris Terrell of Oakland was arrested by Lexington, Kentucky police on Sunday, according to the announcement. On Thursday, Terrell was charged with one count of murder and one count of shooting into an inhabited dwelling related to the killing of Kayode Foster.
According to witnesses, Foster was shot in the early evening of November 10 after an altercation with a group of men near portable toilets located on the outskirts of the Occupy Oakland encampment.
Witnesses to the shooting say they heard a number of shots ring out, and then saw Foster run to toward the intersection of Broadway and 14th Street, before collapsing about 15 feet in front of the BART entrance. Witnesses also said camp medics then tried to revive Foster by performing chest compressions.
Foster died at the hospital about two hours after shot, OPD chief Howard Jordan said at the time.
The shooting sparked controversy that the encampment was too dangerous to remain in the plaza. Mayor Jean Quan released a statement soon after that said the shooting “underscores why the encampment must end. The risks are too great.” She called for a “peaceful conclusion” to the encampment on November 13.
The encampment, which had already been evicted once by police, was soon evicted again. On November 12, the office of City Administrator Deanna Santana delivered a Cease and Desist order to the camp and ordered protesters to no longer lodge in the plaza. On November 14, police raided the encampment in the early morning hours and evicted the protesters for the second time in three weeks.
In Friday’s e-mail, Perkins said three other Oakland men were arrested during the course of the investigation in connection with the beating of Foster just before the shooting. They were charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Perkins said Terrell was arrested with the help of U.S. Deputy Marshalls, the San Francisco Police Department, and members of the Oakland Community. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact OPD’s major crimes unit at 510-238-3529.
You can see Oakland North’s complete coverage of Occupy Oakland here.
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[…] As the month drew to a close, the fate of Occupy without a downtown campsite seemed unclear, but there was one bit of closure as police arrested a man they believe was responsible for the shooting of Kayode Foster. […]