There was some mayhem involving an army of vehicles and multiple separate sideshows in Oakland over the weekend. In addition to the police cars and helicopter that got shot at near a sideshow on International Boulevard, and the approximately 700 vehicles (!) that allegedly participated in a huge sideshow on 880 just before 1 a.m. Sunday, there was also an incident at 90th and Bancroft on Sunday evening that ended with a fatal officer-involved shooting.
OPD O.I.S. in area of 90th/Bancroft. Ofcs working sideshow approached by sub who pointed firearm in their direction. Ofcs fatally shot sub.
— Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) November 16, 2015
The deceased, as the Contra Costa Times reports, approached a group of uniformed officers at a gas station at 90th and Bancroft around 5:30 p.m. where they were engaged in towing several vehicles that they believed were involved in sideshow activity less than 24 hours before. The subject was reportedly pointing what appeared to be a handgun at them, and several officers fired on him, killing him at the scene.
The firearm he was holding was later determined to be the replica shown above, which does look a lot like a real gun. The deceased's name has not been released, and the whole story is bizarre as it sounds like he wanted to be shot?
Late Saturday/early Sunday, officers were called to a couple of parts of town, including the 880 freeway near the High Street off-ramp, where hundreds of vehicles entered the southbound lands going the wrong direction at around 12:45 a.m. The donut-spinning didn't end for about an hour, and while the Chronicle puts the vehicle count at 200, other reports went as high as 700.
The Oakland Tribune reports that the influx of cars included dozens from Fresno and Southern California as well.
Elsewhere, at International Boulevard and 55th Avenue, shots were reportedly fired, including some at a police helicopter surveying the scene.
Sideshows have been an ongoing phenomenon in Oakland going back many years, including one big one that happened in broad daylight on 880 in January. Oakland City Councilman Noel Gallo has suggested trying to host sanctioned events at fairgrounds or raceways, only that is kind of beside the point, and sideshow fans would probably say, a lot less fun.
Previously: Video: Police Cars Attacked As Massive Sideshow In Oakland Gets Rowdy
