(KRON) — Oakland City Councilmember Rowena Brown is recovering from injuries after her office said she was assaulted by an acquaintance over the weekend.
The attack occurred on the evening of Saturday, July 18, Brown’s office said in a statement Thursday. “Councilmember Rowena Brown was the victim of an assault and robbery in Oakland by an acquaintance she had been supporting through a difficult time,” her office wrote.
After receiving medical care for her injuries, Brown “remains focused on her recovery and on continuing to serve the Oakland community,” the statement reads.
The Oakland Police Department told KRON4 that it responded to a West Oakland location just before 12:45 a.m. on Sunday to investigate the assault. On Tuesday, the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Ahshatae Millhouse, was found by OPD Ceasefire officers in Livermore and taken into custody.
Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rowena Brown speaks at a news conference on May 29, 2026. (KRON4)
Millhouse made her first appearance in court Thursday. She has been charged with assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm, first-degree residential robbery and false imprisonment by violence.
City records show that Millhouse was appointed Feb. 3 to serve on the 11-member board of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission after recommendations by Brown and the Office of the Mayor.
District 7 Councilmember Ken Houston was with Brown on the day after she was assaulted. “It was clear that she needs both mental and physical time to heal,” Houston said in a statement.
Mayor Barbara Lee shared a statement of support on social media Thursday. “I have been in touch with Councilmember Rowena Brown and she is well and recovering from her injuries as she continues to serve the residents of Oakland,” the mayor wrote.
Oakland city councilmembers and Mayor Lee are thanking the police for their response and asking for Brown’s privacy to be respected as she recovers.
“I am grateful that she is receiving the care and support she needs, and I am confident in her strength and resilience,” wrote City Council President Kevin Jenkins, who represents District 6.
Brown has served as Oakland’s at-large city councilmember since January 2025.
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