Oakland police and BART officers fatally shoot man

Bay Area Rapid Transit and Oakland police officers fatally shot a man armed with knives near the Fruitvale BART station Saturday morning, authorities said.

The shooting comes about a week after a Los Angeles jury convicted former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter in connection with fatal shooting an unarmed black man, Oscar J. Grant III, on the Fruitvale train station platform on New Year’s Day last year.

That shooting sparked days of looting and protests in Oakland, as well as more demonstrations and looting after the July 8 verdict.

No civil unrest was reported after the latest shooting, police said.

The incident began about 8:15 a.m. when Oakland police received a call that an armed man was walking toward the Fruitvale BART station, according to a statement released by Jeff Thomason, a department spokesman. Police notified BART officers, who reached the suspect first and reported that he said “shoot me, shoot me,” Thomason said.

BART police chased him from the station to the street, where Oakland police joined in the pursuit over four blocks.

The man, who Thomason said appeared to be Latino and in his 30s, was armed with two knives, and Oakland police twice tried unsuccessfully to Taser him. When he charged one of the officers the group opened fire, according to the statement.

Teams from American Medical Response and the Oakland Fire Department responded and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. He had not been identified as of last Saturday.

The Oakland police homicide and internal affairs divisions, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and BART internal affairs unit responded to conduct the administrative investigation. The Oakland Police Department is leading the investigation.

Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums released a statement urging the public to remain calm.

“Any time there is a loss of life, it is a matter of great concern and sadness for us all. It is extremely important that we as a community continue to work together in order to provide a safe and secure environment,” Dellums said, assuring the public that “a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding this death has begun.”

BART Board of Directors Vice President Bob Franklin and Board Member Carole Ward Allen issued a joint statement in response to the shooting.

“The loss of life under any circumstance is truly an unfortunate and regrettable event,” the statement said, emphasizing that the transit agency “is cooperating fully with the Oakland Police Department.”

“We have immediately launched a separate but parallel administrative investigation as well to ensure this incident is thoroughly investigated in a transparent manner,” the statement said.

Rachel Jackson, an organizer with the New Years Movement for Justice, a group formed in the wake of Oscar Grant’s death, said the latest shooting is cause for concern.

“Our question is why did this person have to be shot? There should have been other options,” Jackson said. “People have increasing fear of the police and deceasing trust that there will be any accountability.”

molly.hennessey-fiske@latimes.com