OAKLAND, Calif.
An Oakland police officer shot during a traffic stop was pronounced brain-dead Sunday, but he remained on life-support. He was among the four officers either slain or gravely wounded on the deadliest day in the department’s history Saturday, police said.
A 26-year-old parolee wanted on a parole violation opened fire on Officer John Hege, 41, and Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, after they pulled him over Saturday afternoon, police said. Sgt. Dunakin died that day. Officer Hege was hospitalized with a major brain injury and survived through the night, his family said.
Police department spokesman Jeff Thomason said that a final decision was being made Sunday afternoon about donating Officer Hege’s organs.
Suspect Lovelle Mixon was slain later Saturday afternoon in a gunfight with police that left two more officers dead. Mr. Thomason identified those officers as Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35.
Oakland police said that never in the department’s history had so many officers been killed in the line of duty in a single day.
The violence began when Officer Hege and Sgt. Dunakin, both on motorcycles, stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland just after 1 p.m., Mr. Thomason said. The driver opened fire, killing Sgt. Dunakin and gravely wounding Officer Hege.
The gunman then fled on foot, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off, and an entire area of east Oakland was closed to traffic.
About 3:30 p.m., officers got an anonymous tip that the gunman was inside a nearby apartment building. A SWAT team entered the building, and the gunman opened fire, police said. Sgt. Romans and Sgt. Sakai were killed, and a third officer was grazed by a bullet, police said.
Officers returned fire, killing Mixon, acting Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said.
“It’s in these moments that words are extraordinarily inadequate,” said Mayor Ron Dellums at a somber news conference announcing the slayings.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered flags at the state Capitol flown at half-staff Sunday in honor of the slain officers. Mr. Schwarzenegger arrived in Oakland on Sunday to meet with Mr. Dellums and members of the police department.
“All four officers dedicated their lives to public safety and selflessly worked to protect the people of Oakland,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost, the Oakland Police Department and law enforcement officers throughout California during this difficult time.”
Police said Mixon used different weapons in each incident. One gun was used at the first scene, and an assault rifle was used at the apartment building where he was hiding.
“[Mixon] was on parole, and he had a warrant out for his arrest for violating that parole. And he was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon,” said Oakland police Deputy Chief Jeffery Israel.
Police said they did not know why the officers initially stopped the suspect, but said it apparently was a routine traffic stop. Mr. Thomason said Mixon had an extensive criminal history and was wanted on a no-bail warrant.
Reached by telephone late Saturday, Dr. John S. Hege said his son loved being a policeman and recently became a motorcycle traffic-patrol officer. “He liked excitement,” he said.
As for the slain shooting suspect, Dr. Hege said, “The man was evidently terribly desperate. It is a sad story.”
LaTasha Mixon, 28, of Sacramento, said Sunday her cousin was “not a monster.” She said her family’s prayers were with the slain officers’ relatives.
“We’re devastated. Everybody took a major loss. We’re crushed,” she said.
