An FBI agent has gunned down a man, who was now identified by his family as Michael Jonathan Cortez, during a day’s violence in the already shootings-ridden Oakland.
30-year-old Cortez was shot and killed on Monday afternoon near Fruitvale Avenue and Blossom Street. The agent forms part of a task force that is tasked to serve an arrest warrant.
It was not divulged by the authorities whether the warrant was intended for Cortez. In a statement to KTVU, Cortez’ family is not convinced that the FBI agent was justified in killing Cortez. The FBI released a new statement late Tuesday and claimed that Cortez was armed when the shooting happened.
The incident is now under investigation by the FBI, US Marshals and Oakland police.
“It’s deeply concerning,” Anti Police-Terror Project’s Cat Brooks said
“Collaboration between local and federal agencies is a dangerous and deadly game that our city is playing in the name of safety,” Brooks added. “But it’s not safety for us.”
While the shooting involving the FBI happened, a separate shooting accident has led to the death of a man and a woman on 68th Avenue.
Three more people were shot and injured hours after, close to the Fruitvale BART station.
The shootings happened as the Oakland Police Department has cut down below 700 officers for the first time after a long time.
Each month, about 10 officers have been exiting the police force.
The shootings on Monday were termed by the Oakland Police Officers’ Association as a “bloodbath” as it alleged the city council of welcoming the “defund the police” movement.
“The carnage witnessed on Oakland streets last night and how Oakland’s tired, vilified and unsupported police officers fought to protect our residents, once again demonstrated that Oakland police officers are America’s hardest-working cops,” Sgt. Barry Donelan, president of the police association said in a statement.
“The behavior that’s currently going on, and not just in Fruitvale, is out of control,” Fruitvale District representative Councilmember Noel Gallo, said, adding that the incident calls for the cracking down on crime, KTVU reported.
“Oakland, we gotta get our act together and address the issue of public safety. And don’t be pointing fingers and blaming each other,” he said.
