DHS: Killing of officer was ‘domestic terrorism’

One federal officer fatally shot and another wounded

A shooting in which one federal security officer was killed and another critically wounded a few blocks from a raucous anti-police protest Friday night in downtown Oakland was an act of “domestic terrorism,” according to Department of Homeland Security officials. The officials said at a news conference Saturday that the two federal protective officers were targeted by an “assassin” outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building. “When someone targets a police officer or a police station with an intention to do harm and intimidate, that is an act of domestic terrorism,” said Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. On Saturday evening, ABC7 News, this news organization’s media partner, reported that the slain officer was 53-year-old Patrick Underwood, of Pinole. It cited one of the sources as his sister, Angela Underwood Jacobs. While DHS officials characterized the killing as domestic terrorism, an official close to the investigation said it was too early to identify the motive, and a former Oakland police chief suggested the characterization was a “stretch” without more information. The shooting happened at the intersection of 12th and Jefferson streets outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building around 9:45 p.m. Friday, near a guard shelter at the entrance to the building’s parking garage. Authorities say someone fired multiple shots from a white van at the two contract security officers for the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security. No arrests have been made in the shooting, nor have authorities released a description of any suspects. The FBI on Saturday asked the public to provide any footage of the suspects or getaway van. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said the federal protection security officers were there to guard federal buildings during the downtown demonstration. “As of late we have witnessed an outright assault on our law enforcement community,” Wolf said at a news conference Saturday. “Last night in Oakland, California, an assassin cowardly shot two federal protective service contractors as they stood watch over a protest.” Wolf said the surviving officer was in critical condition. Neither of the security officers has been publicly identified. Both were working for security companies contracted by the government to protect the federal properties. “Any loss in the DHS family impacts all of us, and I want the loved ones of these brave officers to know you have the support of the department behind you,” Wolf said. Without a motive established, former Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said it would be a “stretch” to call the killing a domestic terrorism act. “Saying that inflames the story and probably legitimizes (President Donald) Trump’s ramped up reason for calling in the National Guard, which would turn Oakland into a police state,” said Jordan, who led the Oakland police force during the Occupy Oakland protests. In a statement released Saturday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “No one should rush to conflate this heinous act with the protests last night. A federal investigation is underway, and we should let that process play out.” Oakland police, who are assisting the FBI in the investigation, tweeted a statement Friday night saying the shooting appeared to be unrelated to the protest over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The department’s public information office later deleted the tweet. Oakland police now are not ruling out the possibility of a connection.