On June 30, Oakland citizens were alerted via the Citizen app that someone was hanging from a tree near Bridgeview Trail. Police quickly deemed it a suicide, but residents are demanding more transparency. No press releases have been issued, and only one news outlet has reported on the case so far.
As the Oaklandside reports, police found a deceased Black man hanging from a tree near the trail in Dimond Canyon at 7:30 a.m. on June 30, noting that the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office — also serving as the coroner — initially led the investigation before transferring it to Oakland Police. “During the preliminary investigation, officers believe the individual died from self-harm,” a spokesperson told the outlet.
Oakland resident Kadie Kelly, who received the Citizen alert and later spoke with eyewitnesses, shared a series of Instagram posts urging the public to keep pressing local authorities and media for transparency and further investigation.
As YouTuber @Paralegal_ notes, there have been no official statements released beyond OPD's statement to the Oaklandside, which remains the only publication covering the incident.
As a commenter on one of Kadie Kelly's posts notes, it's very common for sheriffs to also serve as coroners in California. As NPR has reported, 49 of the state’s 58 counties have sheriffs who also serve as coroners. “Even if a forensic pathologist says someone was beaten to death — say a homicide — the sheriff-coroner can call it an accident,” NPR explained. “Critics say that's an inherent conflict of interest — especially when someone dies at the hands of law enforcement.”
On Instagram, Kelly shared that the FBI is aware of the case, and that she’s been in touch with Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. “Talk to the people you know,” she urged in a recent post. “Back in 2020 when Libby Schaaf was mayor and there were nooses found at Lake Merritt, she stated that these instances should immediately be considered hate crimes. Those in power have access to the information we do not have right now. But there are more eyewitnesses who need to come forward.”
Oakland Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (510) 238-3821.
Top image via Google Maps
