Oakland Police Arrest Suspect Who Allegedly Made Online Threats To Asian Americans
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Amid a surge of violence targeting Asian-Americans, the Oakland Police Department announced late Monday they have arrested a Berkeley resident for allegedly posting online threats against the community.
Investigators posted on Facebook that the department received tips on Feb 11 from their media partners about troubling statements directed towards the Asian community posted on social media.
An investigation was immediately launched and detectives were able to identify a person of interest.
While not releasing the suspect's name, Oakland police said the individual was a resident of Berkeley and was known to OPD because of a recent firearms charge arrest.
Investigators were able to obtain a warrant for the person's arrest. The individual was safely taken into custody.
The arrest came during a heightened effort from Oakland police to bring the recent surge violence in Chinatown to an end.
In a two-week span in February, authorities recorded 18 crimes against Asian Americans around Oakland's Chinatown, according Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley. She has launched a special unit within her department to investigate the attacks.
To counter the surge in violence, recently named Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong has deployed the department's mobile community command unit to Chinatown and increased police street patrols. He also took the streets to personally assure residents and business owners that his department was there to protect them.
"We wanted our business owners and community to know that we care," Armstrong said. "That we are concerned and are going to do everything to keep the community safe."
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