Campus mass shooting victim dies

An Oakland Unified School District employee with more than 18 years on the job has died from injuries sustained during a September mass shooting on the grounds of the King Estates campus, officials said.

David Sakurai, 64, was an East Bay resident and carpenter working in the Building and Grounds Department who spent time on many projects to upgrade and beautify district campuses, according to a statement by Acting Superintendent Sondra Aguilera and Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell.

He was at the King Estates campus on Sept. 28, when two people entered the grounds and opened fire, hitting six victims af filiated with the schools. He was working that day to install new countertops.

“We are working with the Alameda County coroner’s office to determine the exact cause of death,” Oakland police tweeted Friday afternoon, the day after Sakurai’s death.

“We are devastated by the loss of David, and we are heartbroken for his family and community. He will be profoundly missed. Our community mourns the loss of an OUSD hero and will be forever grateful for David’s nearly two decades of service to our students, families, staff and schools,” Aguilera and Johnson-Trammell said in their statement.

“He was well-known for his sense of humor, and as someone who loved working for the District. He loved the camaraderie he had with his team, and colleagues never saw him upset about anything,” the statement said.

Aguilera and Johnson-Trammell added that OUSD is offering counseling and support resources for employees who need them.

Officers initially responded to reports of the shooting around 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the campus on the 8200 block of Fontaine Street, where six adults affiliated with the school were suffering from gunshot wounds, according to authorities.

All six victims were transported to area hospitals, with two suffering life-threatening injuries.

Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said more than 30 rounds were fired during the incident as the assailants entered the school building to target specific people before fleeing in a vehicle.

On Oct.3, OPD released video surveillance from the campus that showed two people running up to the school’s front doors with firearms in hand.

The investigation into the shooting remains open, and investigators are encouraging anyone with information to contact contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Section at (510) 2383821 or the tip line at (510) 238-7950.