Oakland, CA – Today, Oakland Police Chief Anne E. Kirkpatrick spoke with reporters and stated, “One week ago I stood before you and gave you my commitment to reducing gun violence and saving lives in the City of Oakland.
We know that reducing gun violence is not exclusive to Oakland but is a national call for ending senseless shootings and killings.”
The Chief went on to say, “We know we cannot do this alone. We have to have a hand in hand partnership with our law enforcement partners, our city and community as we work collectively together to put the guns down and end gun violence. Today, I do not stand alone. This morning’s operation is a result of an investigation initiated by ATF into the trafficking of Firearms and Narcotics with the support and assistance of the DEA.
This is one of many steps we take together with our law enforcement partners,
it is not enough to arrest those who illegally possess guns and drive our violent crime, we must break the cycle of violence.”
Breaking the cycle of violence has many strategies:
•Developing information about who is in possession of illegal guns.
•Who is committing burglaries where firearms are taken.
•And most importantly, who is selling or bringing firearms into our city.
This operation focused on the suppliers and sellers who are trafficking firearms and narcotics including fully automatic high-powered rifles and high capacity magazines.
Over the course of this investigation the following has been recovered;
•Over four dozen firearms recovered.
•Multiple suspects have been arrested on Federal criminal warrants and are facing
Federal charges.
During this operation some of the guns recovered have been linked to murders and shootings, through ATF’s National Integrated Ballistics Information Network or NIBIN.