Oakland: Video of fatal police shooting released
OAKLAND – The Oakland Police Department on Friday released video footage of a fatal police shooting on Election Day.
Officer Dinesh Jagar shot 20-year-old Jonathan Torres Ramirez in the 1400 block of 92nd Avenue about 10:15 p.m. on Nov. 3. At the time, Jagar and other officers were trying to stop a group of people from breaking into a commercial building where cannabis was being grown, said Oakland police Chief Susan Manheimer in a video.
“This was a small, primarily residential area, with vehicles crowding into the area from all directions,” Manheimer said. “As our officers arrived, many in the group ran away, while others attempted to flee in their cars in different directions. Some of the drivers used the sidewalks as roadways, creating a challenging and dangerous situation.”
Footage from a security camera at 92nd Avenue and Holly Street shows a white car hit an officer on the sidewalk and briefly pin him beneath the front driver’s side wheel. The footage also shows Jagar firing a rifle at the car as it reverses and hits a fence.
Body-worn camera footage from the officer who was struck captured the moment of impact.
“I got ran over,” he says after several pained grunts.
Footage from Jagar’s body-worn camera shows the officer ordering the driver of the car, later identified as Torres Ramirez, to stop at least five times before opening fire.
Manheimer said officers gave Torres Ramirez first aid “once they were in a safe area,” but he died at the scene.
“Any time deadly force is used by our officers, regardless of what precipitates that force, we are all saddened by the tragic loss of life,” Manheimer said. “We want to assure our community that whenever we have an incident where our officers use deadly force, certain investigations and independent reviews are automatically initiated.”
Manheimer said the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Oakland Community Police Review Agency are conducting independent investigations into the shooting. The police department’s homicide and internal affairs divisions are also investigating whether Jagar’s actions were in alignment with policy and practices.
“Our community is rightfully concerned when force is used, and we are concerned as well,” said Manheimer, adding that police are releasing all associated body-worn camera footage and the full video of the incident.
“It is vital for us to be transparent and share these incidents directly with you,” she said.
The officer who was hit by the car, as well as three others who were injured that night, are recovering, Manheimer said.
Manheimer said additional officers were on duty on Nov. 3 because of anticipated Election Day demonstrations. While downtown was mostly quiet, around 9 p.m., reports started pouring in about “caravans of looters” breaking into cannabis and retail businesses across the city, including the one near where Torres Ramirez was shot and killed.