Oakland Police Department, California
End of Watch: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: 186
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 21, 2009
Weapon Used: Rifle; SKS
Suspect Info: Killed by other officers
Sergeant Daniel Sakai and Sergeant Ervin Romans, SWAT team members, were killed when they attempted to apprehend a suspect that had earlier in the day shot and killed Sergeant Mark Dunakin and mortally wounded Officer John Hege during a traffic stop.
At approximately 1:15 p.m., Sergeant Dunakin and Officer Hege, patrolling on a motorcycle, pulled over a car at a traffic stop at 74th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. During the stop, the driver opened fire, killing the officers. Citizens who witnessed the incident called 911 and started CPR on both officers.
The suspect fled on foot, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of officers from the Oakland Police Department, California Highway Patrol, and Alameda County Sheriff's Department.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Oakland Police Department received an anonymous tip that the suspect was barricaded inside an apartment building on 74th Avenue.
Officers first attempted to negotiate with the suspect, but a SWAT team was sent into the location to apprehend him when that failed. As the SWAT officers approached, the suspect opened fire with a rifle, killing Sergeants Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai and wounding a third officer. Officers returned fire, killing the 26-year-old male suspect.
It was later determined that the suspect had an extensive violent criminal history and was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. Additionally, he had a no-bail parole warrant at the time of the incident.
Sergeant Sakai had served with the Oakland Police Department for nine years. He is survived by his wife, a UC Berkley Police Officer, a daughter, and his parents.
In March 2012, the Keller Avenue Bridge over I-580 was renamed the "Sgt. Mark Dunakin Sgt. Ervin Romans Sgt. Daniel Sakai Officer John Hege Memorial Bridge."