San Francisco Chronicle
OAKLAND, Calif. — The ambush shooting deaths of four Washington state police officers at a coffee shop has hit the Oakland Police Department particularly hard, just eight months after the force lost four of its own, authorities said today.
On Sunday, a gunman killed Lakewood, Wash., police Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39; and Officers Ronald Owens, 37; Tina Griswold, 40; and Greg Richards, 42, at a Forza Coffee shop in Parkland. A suspect with a lengthy criminal history was still being sought today.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the fallen officers and to all of the fine members of the Lakewood Police Department,” the Oakland Police Department said in a statement Sunday. “The Oakland Police Department is incredibly saddened that another community has to deal with the loss of four of their finest.”
The department said it was “prepared to offer any help or support that we can possibly give to the Lakewood Police Department now and in the difficult days, weeks and months to come.”
The tragedy is particularly difficult to fathom for members of the Oakland force, which lost four police officers March 21 when 27-year-old parolee and wanted rapist Lovelle Mixon shot and killed Sgt. Mark Dunakin and Officer John Hege, both motorcycle officers, during a routine traffic stop. Hours later, Mixon shot and killed SWAT Sgts. Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai as they stormed a building where he was hiding.
Then-Long Beach Police Chief Anthony Batts attended the funeral for the four officers at the Oracle Arena and changed his mind about not wanting to lead the force in Oakland. Batts became the city’s chief in October.
Two weeks after the Oakland slayings - the single deadliest day in department history - four police officers in Pittsburgh were shot and killed. Oakland police sent a contingent of officers, including Deputy Chief Dave Kozicki, to the Pittsburgh officers’ funeral.
Officer Jeff Thomason, Oakland police spokesman, said today that officials from the Lakewood department had contacted his agency Sunday for guidelines on how to put together a funeral for four officers.
After the Oakland officers were killed, police from across the country offered support. Officers from other jurisdictions helped patrol city streets and staff the dispatch center during the funeral.
“The brotherhood of police officers is very strong, especially at a time of tragedy,” Thomason said. “You see all the police officers come together and support each other.”
The Washington slayings have another link to Oakland police - Brad Carpenter, the CEO of Forza Coffee, is a former Oakland police officer.
Copyright 2009 San Francisco Chronicle