Oakland police shot unarmed man, says attorney

A man shot and killed by an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy in Oakland Sunday was unarmed and running from police, according to an attorney representing the man’s family.

Jacorey Calhoun, 23, was killed in a police pursuit that started at about 4 a.m. near 55th and Fairfax avenues, according to civil rights attorney John Burris.

“It’s from my point of view a very troubling shooting,” Burris said.

Burris has been involved in numerous cases against law enforcement including representing the family of Oscar Grant III after he was killed by a BART police officer.

Oakland police said that the shooting happened after officers tried to stop a vehicle believed to be associated with a July 12 home invasion robbery and pistol whipping in the 4700 block of MacArthur Boulevard.

But the driver of the silver 2001 Volvo C70 failed to stop, and officers pursued it but lost sight of it.

It was spotted again near 105th and Edes avenues in East Oakland, police said. Police said the driver got out of the car and ran into nearby yards.

An Alameda County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit assisted in finding the suspect hiding in the yards.

One of the sheriff’s deputies then shot the suspect. Police have not disclosed why the deputy opened fire. Burris said today that he is still collecting evidence on the shooting, but that he has learned the suspect was unarmed and was shot in the head while running from officers.

He said that it does not appear that the officers were being confronted and pointed out that while Oakland police were the primary agency in the search, a sheriff’s deputy was the only person who opened fire.

The car Calhoun was driving belonged to him and his girlfriend, Burris said.

It was too early to know whether he would file a claim against the city, Burris said, and he is now trying to get evidence from the police, including whether the officers had body-mounted cameras turned on at the time.

0544p08/04/14 CONTACT: Oakland police (510) 238-7230 John Burris (510) 839-5200 Copyright