(KRON) — The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will honor 20 employees for their bravery and heroism Friday at the department’s annual Medal of Valor ceremony.
This year’s highest award will be presented to Parole Agent Marcello Yciano, whose rapid response in the midst of a shooting at the CDCR’s Oakland field office helped protect colleagues and ensure the capture of the shooter, officials said.
On July 17, 2025, while on-duty at a parole office in East Oakland, Yciano became aware of an emergency involving a fellow parole agent who was shot by a parolee. “Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Yciano acted without hesitation, directing nearby staff to safety, summoning emergency assistance and moving toward the emergency to aid his colleague,” CDCR officials wrote.
A state parole agent was shot and killed in Oakland on July 17, 2025. (Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
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The alleged shooter, Bryan Keith Hall, had fatally shot parole agent Joshua Byrd inside the Division of Adult Parole Operations office, police and prosecutors said. A manhunt for the gunman ended when officers found Hall on International Boulevard near 90th Avenue. Hall was arrested and charged with murder.
During the shooting, “Yciano demonstrated exceptional courage, decisive leadership, selflessness and an unwavering devotion to duty,” officials wrote.
“The Medal of Valor highlights the extraordinary character of the men and women of our staff who did not hesitate to put themselves in harm’s way when others needed help,” CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber said.
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