Two armed robbers on Monday held up a news crew who were interviewing Oakland’s director of violence prevention outside City Hall.
Two suspects approached the television newscasters for NBC Bay Area at 3:09 p.m. and attempted to steal a camera. However, a security officer from City Hall pulled out a gun, causing the suspects to flee without anything.
The Oakland Police Department later issued a statement where they described the incident but did not describe the city’s Head of Department of Violence Prevention, Guillermo Cespedes, as one of the victims.
“Our colleagues were conducting an interview at Oakland City Hall when they were approached by two armed individuals,” Liza Catalan, a spokesperson for NBC Bay Area, said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “Thankfully our colleagues are safe and unharmed.”
The robbing came hours after Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong slammed the City Council for showing its support to policing alternatives.
