Oakland police brass announce homicide arrests, plans to keep lowering crime

OAKLAND — Top brass of the Oakland Police Department on Friday announced arrests in four homicides, including three suspects apprehended this week, and also provided details of recent enforcement actions while vowing to continue their efforts to keep crime down.

“We are working hard as a police department to reduce the crime and we are seeing a reduction in total crimes across the city,” police Chief Floyd Mitchell said at a media briefing. “We’re on the right path but a lot of work still needs to be done.”

Through Aug. 11, violent crimes in the city, including homicides, robberies and assaults were down an overall 12 percent and overall crime was down 32 percent compared to last year at that time.

Deputy Chief Fred Shavies said three suspects were arrested Wednesday and Thursday in separate fatal shootings that happened July 5 and July 1 and May 22.

Josiah Dempsey, 20, was arrested Thursday morning by the California Highway Patrol on a probable cause warrant accusing him of murder in the July 1 fatal shooting of 25-year-old Devonya Thurston, of Oakland, inside a market in the 900 block of 105th Avenue.

Kiara Smith, 22, was arrested Wednesday in Dallas, Texas by U.S. Marshals in a fatal shooting that happened about 10:47 p.m. July 5 in the 1900 block of Telegraph Avenue in the Uptown district. Killed was Domaquie Robinson, 29, of San Francisco. Smith has been charged with murder and carrying a loaded firearm in public and will be extradited soon from Texas.

A man was arrested Wednesday in the Kings County city of Lemoore by local police and U.S. Marshals. He is accused of the fatal shooting May 22 of 18-year-old Bre’elle Vercher in the 3700 block of Manila Avenue in North Oakland. Even though the shooting happened near Kaiser Hospital, she was taken by others to a San Francisco hospital where she later died. It was first thought she may have been shot in San Francisco, but further investigation revealed it happened in Oakland and the man, whose name was not released, was identified as the suspect.

The arrests and charging of a 16-year-old boy for murder and a 19-year-old man for being an accessory in the fatal shooting Aug. 7 of Maria Ramos in the 5600 block of Hilton Street were also announced. They were arrested the same day of the killing, which authorities said resulted from sales of marijuana vape pens to younger relatives of Ramos, a mother of eight.

Assistant Chief James Beere provided details of recent enforcement actions taken by different police units, including Ceasefire, Special Resource Section officers and the department’s Vice/Child Exploitation Unit.

Beere said Ceasefire and Special Resource Section efforts in the past month have resulted in the arrests of numerous violent suspects and the recovery of multiple firearms, including handguns with high capacity magazines and assault rifles and ammunition.

He said police also concentrated efforts to deal with dozens of street robberies targeting mostly older women living at a senior retirement home not far from downtown. That resulted in more than a half dozen arrests of juvenile suspects, with three being formally charged. Patrols in the area have been increased and police are in constant contact with the home to address their concerns and provide safety tips, Beere said.

Police are also continuing to combat human trafficking and child exploitation in known prostitution areas including operations that have resulted in the arrests of numerous suspected pimps and customers and the rescuing of sex workers. He said five arrests were made recently in one operation in the area along International Boulevard known as the “Blade.” None of those arrested were from Oakland, with one claiming Arizona as his place of residence.

Beere said the department will continue such enforcement actions and expressed appreciation for the community support received.

Chief Mitchell said he realizes victims are upset about slow response times by officers, especially for property crimes and so is he. But he said violent crimes are the highest priority calls. He hopes a study underway about police resources in the city will lead to an increase in the number of officers which would lead to a decrease in response times.