OAKLAND, Calif. – Federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 26-year-old with assaulting federal officers after allegedly reversing a U-Haul truck toward them outside Coast Guard Island, forcing officers to open fire.
Confrontation on the bridge
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The confrontation happened around 10 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the entrance to Coast Guard Island, the same location where a daylong protest against a federal immigration surge — later called-off — had taken place hours earlier.
Prosecutors said Brendan Munro Thompson, also known as Bella Castillo, drove a 10-foot U-Haul onto part of the bridge leading to Coast Guard Island. Several U.S. Coast Guard officers were positioned across the bridge.
Thompson allegedly backed the truck toward the officers, stopping and starting several times before accelerating rapidly in reverse. Authorities said Thompson ignored officers’ commands to stop.
Thompson came within 15 to 20 feet of officers before they opened fire.
Thompson drove away, abandoning the truck nearby.
Federal prosecutors charged 26-year-old Brendan Munro Thompson, also known as Bella Castillo, with assaulting federal officers after allegedly reversing a U-Haul truck toward them near Coast Guard Island in Oakland.
Prosecutors said Thompson was wounded and hospitalized. Thompson was later taken into FBI custody. A bystander was also shot in the stomach but survived.
“As alleged, Thompson drove a U-Haul truck directly into a line of Coast Guard personnel who were protecting the Coast Guard base, as they bravely do day in and day out,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “Let this be clear: there is zero tolerance for assault on federal officers or property, and those who do so will face federal criminal charges.”
Motive Unclear
Local perspective:
Prosecutors have not said what motivated Thompson to carry out the alleged act.
Thompson’s next court date is scheduled for Nov. 10.
Earlier that day, protesters had gathered near Coast Guard Island in opposition to a planned federal immigration operation that was later canceled. Witnesses said the driver was not part of the protest.
Kris Ness, one of the protest participants, said Thompson arrived around 9:30 p.m. and acted alone.
“In fact, we tried to stop them,” Nes said. “It’s a really terrible picture for the rest of us…Aside from the fact that he was a completely independent actor, he refused to talk to us as welk. It was all around just a really weird, dangerous, and unfortunate situation.”
The Source: Information for this story comes from the Department of Justice along with previous reporting.