U.S. JUNE 16, 2020 / 3:42 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Two men charged in slaying of federal courthouse guard in Oakland, California

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Two men have been charged in the slaying last month of a federal courthouse guard in Oakland, California, during an ambush blocks away from anti-racism protests sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police days earlier, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

One of the two men, Steven Carrillo, a U.S. Air Force sergeant described by the FBI as associated with the extremist boogaloo movement, was arrested on June 6 and charged with the ambush killing of a sheriff’s deputy in the Santa Cruz mountains.

The FBI said in an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint in the case that Carrillo appeared to have used his own blood to scrawl the word “BOOG” and the phrase “I became unreasonable” on the hood of a car he sought to hijack before he was arrested.

Carrillo, 32, was charged in federal court on Monday with murder in the May 29 drive-by shooting of Federal Protective Service officer David Patrick Underwood, and the attempted murder of a second security officer, outside a federal courthouse in Oakland.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Two Defendants Charged with Murder and Aiding and Abetting in Slaying of Federal Protective Service Officer at Oakland Courthouse Building

Defendants Allegedly Opened Fire on Unsuspecting Officers Guarding Courthouse at Federal Building As Public Demonstrations Continued Only Blocks Away

At a press conference held this morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, the Department of Justice announced that murder and attempted murder charges have been filed against Steven Carrillo, the alleged gunman in the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of Protective Security Officer David Patrick Underwood and injuries to a second security officer. The Department of Justice also announced aiding and abetting charges against Robert Alvin Justus Jr., the driver of the vehicle from which Carrillo is alleged to have attacked the guards.

“Liberty flourishes in the rule of law,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Indiscriminate targeting of law enforcement officers by those motivated by violent extremism of any stripe is contrary to our nation’s values and undermines the powerful message of peaceful protestors. The Department of Justice stands in support of all Americans exercising their First Amendment rights to peaceable assembly and speech but we stand firmly against anyone who seeks to hijack the protests with acts of violence and destruction.”

“I applaud the agents and officers who investigated and captured those responsible for the attack on Federal Protective Service officers resulting in the death of Officer Underwood and serious injury of Officer Mifkovic,” said Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf. “As the nation's largest law enforcement organization, the Department's top priority is protecting the American people and our workforce, and we are not going to rest until these criminals are brought to justice. The assassination and injury of federal officers who swore an oath to protect the American public will not be tolerated. The Department of Homeland Security will continue its mission to end violent extremism in any form.”

“Pat Underwood was murdered because he wore a uniform,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson, “but he was much more than just the uniform he wore. Pat Underwood was a brother, a father, and a son. Many, many people will miss hearing the sound of his voice and laughter. Pat Underwood wore his uniform because it signified his authority to protect the courthouse where we are gathered here today. This courthouse exists to administer justice, to uphold the rule of law, and to protect the freedoms that we all cherish. In announcing today’s charges, we are reaffirming our determination to protect those who protect us.”

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The charges against Carrillo and Justus were brought in two criminal complaints, one filed against each defendant. According to the complaints, at approximately 9:27 p.m., on May 29, 2020, a white Ford Econoline-style van parked directly across the street from the federal building in Oakland on Jefferson Street. The van was parked facing the guard post where Officer Underwood and his partner that evening stood guard to protect the building. The van was on the southeast corner in the spot closest to the intersection with an unobstructed view of the guard post. Shortly after the van parked, a man emerged from the driver’s seat and walked around the area conducting reconnaissance for approximately ten minutes. Then, at approximately 9:43 p.m., the exterior lights of the van turned on and the van moved north on Jefferson Street toward the guard post. The passenger-side sliding door opened, and Carrillo allegedly fired multiple rounds from a firearm toward the guard post, killing Officer Underwood and injuring his partner.

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