Federal Protective Service Officer Killed by Gunfire Outside U.S. Courthouse in Oakland

OAKLAND -- A Federal Protective Service officer was fatally shot and another officer was injured outside a U.S. courthouse in Oakland on Friday night, officials said.

The shooting took place several blocks from Oakland Police headquarters, where protesters gathered to demonstrate against the killing of George Floyd, but it wasn't immediately clear whether the incident was believed to be related to the unrest. Authorities declined to speculate on a possible link.

A vehicle pulled up to the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building at 1301 Clay St. at about 9:45 p.m., and someone inside the vehicle fired gunshots at the contract security officers, the FBI said in a statement.

One officer was killed and another was injured, authorities said. There was no word on that officer's condition. No arrest was reported.

The Federal Protective Service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, oversees the protection of buildings owned or leased by the General Services Administration.

The FBI's San Francisco Bureau and the Oakland Police Department were investigating the shooting.

Earlier in the night, demonstrators blocked the 880 Freeway as they protested Floyd's killing. The 46-year-old black man died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck while detaining him on suspicion of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store.

Cellphone video of his arrest outside the business shows Officer Derek Chauvin driving his knee into the Floyd's neck as Floyd pleads that he can't breathe. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday. Three other officers who were at the scene were fired.

The killing has sparked protests across the country, with some incidents of looting and vandalism.

In Minneapolis, thousands of National Guard troops were expected to hit the streets Saturday night to prevent further destruction after crowds on Friday surrounded a police precinct, broke windows and looted businesses amid fires and random gunfire.

In Los Angeles, police arrested more than 500 people after protests led to a night and morning of vandalism and looting on the streets of downtown L.A. The LAPD spent much of Friday night and Saturday morning trying to clear the streets as people smashed windows, stole items from stores, clashed with police and set items, including at least two LAPD vehicles, on fire.

In Oakland, 22 people were arrested after protesters smashed windows, sprayed buildings with anti-police graffiti and were met with chemical spray from police. Sixty more people suspected of looting were detained for further investigation, Oakland police said Saturday.

Authorities said officers were injured when projectiles were thrown, and they were asking people to leave the area. Six Oakland police officers suffered injuries, as did seven members of other agencies who responded to assist, according to preliminary figures released by Oakland police.

The demonstrations started out peacefully but became violent later in the evening, interim Oakland Police Chief Susan Manheimer said in a videotaped statement early Saturday.

"As we have seen across the country, we saw damage and destruction here in the city," Manheimer said.

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