A retired police officer died in the hospital on Saturday, three days after he was shot protecting a news crew reporting on a smash-and-grab theft at a clothing store in Oakland, California.
Kevin Nishita, an armed guard with the Armed Protection Agency, was struck by gunfire in the middle of the day Wednesday when a KRON-TV news crew was confronted by armed suspects, according to police. He was “rushed to a local hospital for medical attention and, despite the hospital staff’s best efforts, succumbed to his injuries this morning,” the Colma Police Department said in a press release Saturday.
The armed robbers attempted to steal camera equipment from the KRON-TV news crew when Nishita was shot in the abdomen, police said.
The Oakland Police Department is investigating this incident as a homicide. Investigators released a surveillance photo of a vehicle they believe was used in the attempted robbery and fatal shooting. A $27,500 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case was later increased to $32,500.
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A member of the Colma Police Department from 2012-2018, Nishita served as a detective, field training officer, and officer in charge and was promoted to sergeant in 2015. He was also an active member of the Colma community, both on and off duty, according to the Colma Police Department’s press release.
“Kevin was a son, a husband, father, a grandfather, a co-worker, and a friend,” the press release said. “He will be dearly missed.”
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Anyone with information about the shooting of Nishita is asked to contact the Oakland PD Homicide Section at (510) 238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at (510) 777-8572.
“We are devastated by the loss of security guard and our friend, Kevin Nishita. Our deepest sympathy goes to Kevin’s wife, his children, his family, and to all his friends and colleagues. This senseless loss of life is due to yet another violent criminal act in the Bay Area. We hope that offering a reward will help lead to the arrest of those responsible so they can face justice for this terrible tragedy,” KRON4 Vice President and General Manager Jim Rose said in a statement.
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With a rise in brazen, seemingly organized robberies in California, there has been increased opposition to a string of laws passed in recent years, including Proposition 47, which reclassified felony theft under $950 as a misdemeanor.
A San Francisco Apple store was targeted on Wednesday in a smash-and-grab robbery that took place in broad daylight, resulting in the loss of thousands of dollars of merchandise.
