Oakland housing village mourns loss of security guard killed outside property

A security guard for an Oakland cabin village was shot and killed last week as he sat in his car late at night, police and the executive director of Operation Dignity, which provides services at the village, said Tuesday.

Police released information on the shooting Friday and had no updates to share Tuesday. No arrests have apparently been made and police are not releasing the name of the victim.

The shooting occurred just before 10 p.m. in the 3400 block of Mandela Parkway. The guard was in his car, which was not on village property, Operation Dignity executive director Marguerite Bachand said.

Bachand said:

“Staff and residents knew him.” 

The cabin village, known as Mandela Community Cabins, is located at 3401 Mandela Parkway and houses people who are working toward securing permanent housing. The city of Oakland has turned to villages of cabins and tiny homes as a way to get people out of the weather.

Oakland spokesperson Karen Boyd said:

“The City of Oakland joins the staff of Operation Dignity, which provides services at the Mandela Community Cabins, in expressing deep sorrow for the tragic and senseless killing of a security guard that occurred outside the property Thursday night.”

Boyd added:

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to family and loved ones, the residents of the Mandela Community Cabins who experienced this traumatic event, and the contracted security service team who have lost a colleague.” 

Operation Dignity has made grief counselors available to cabin residents and staff of the village.