Oakland Police Department, California
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: 729
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: March 21, 2009
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Officer John Hege and Sergeant Mark Dunakin were shot and killed during a traffic stop at 74th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. During the stop, the driver opened fire, killing Sergeant Dunakin and mortally wounding Officer Hege. 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 Sergeant Ervin Romans and Sergeant 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. In addition, at the time of the incident, he had a no-bail parole warrant.
Officer Hege had served with the Oakland Police Department for 10 years. He is survived by his parents.
An unidentified good samaritan gave CPR to Officer Hege until emergency crews arrived so his organs could be donated to four people.
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."
In January 2019, Hampton Field dedicated the John Raymond Hege Memorial Backstop on the baseball diamond in his honor.