Feds charge suspected U-Haul driver at Oakland immigration protest with assault

The one who federal authorities say was shot whereas backing a U-Haul truck towards federal officers throughout a protest on Coast Guard Island two weeks in the past has been charged in federal court docket with assaulting federal officers.

Bella Thompson, who prosecutors say additionally goes by Bella Castillo or Brendan Munro Thompson, is charged with assault on a federal officer with a lethal or harmful weapon. She made her first look in federal district court docket Tuesday morning.

U.S. Legal professional Craig H. Missakian introduced the costs at present in a press launch, which included a replica of the indictment. Nonetheless, the case stays sealed and different paperwork can’t be accessed, in accordance with the federal court docket web site.

On the night of October 23, a number of U.S. Coast Guard officers stood guard on the bridge connecting Coast Guard Island to Oakland. Protesters have been protesting the deliberate immigration enforcement operation within the San Francisco Bay Space since early morning. Round 10 p.m., the driving force of a U-Haul rental truck drove onto the bridge and accelerated backward towards federal brokers. Video of the incident exhibits the U-Haul didn’t hit any Coast Guard personnel.

In keeping with a criticism filed by FBI Particular Agent Mikael Bergh on October 30 and launched at present, federal brokers feared “the chance that the truck was a vehicle-borne improvised explosive gadget,” or that further individuals have been hidden within the truck and would “open fireplace on them.”

“This worry for his or her lives, and people of their USCG colleagues, led them to open fireplace on the U-Haul truck to cease the risk,” Bergh wrote in his criticism.

A bystander who was close to the protest on the foot of the bridge was additionally hit by a bullet fragment. They have been handled at an area hospital and launched.

In keeping with the criticism, after the capturing, the U-Haul driver steered the truck onto Dennison Road, the place they exited the cab and obtained into one other automobile.

In keeping with police, Thompson was admitted to Highland Hospital shortly after 10 p.m. after being transported there by another person. She was handled for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the again, between her shoulder blades.

Shortly thereafter, Oakland cops investigating the capturing recognized Thompson as a suspect after Highland Hospital collected her driver’s license upon admission. Officers from the Alameda Police Division responded to the hospital and detained Thompson. In keeping with the prison criticism unsealed at present, officers discovered amongst Thompson’s private belongings on the hospital a pair of multi-colored pants that they believed belonged to the driving force of the U-Haul truck.

The Alameda police officer advised Bergh that the suspect “recognized as transgender and glided by the title ‘Bella,’” the FBI particular agent wrote. It’s unclear why the FBI particular agent specified Thompson’s gender identification within the criticism. Requested concerning the inclusion of Thompson’s gender identification within the charging paperwork, Michelle Lo, a spokesperson for the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Northern District of California, advised The Oaklandside, “I’ve no touch upon that aside from what’s acknowledged within the criticism.”

Thompson was subsequently dedicated to a psychiatric hospital, however federal authorities didn’t clarify why.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Thompson was booked into the Santa Rita Jail final weekend on a cost of obstructing a peace officer after allegedly making an attempt to flee from Highland Hospital on Oct. 23. Thompson seems to haven’t any prison convictions, in accordance with the Chronicle.

In keeping with the East Bay Timesone in all Thompson’s buddies arrange a GoFundMe fundraiser for her three days earlier than the capturing, after she lately misplaced her house and skilled an “episode of bipolar dysfunction.”

The Oakland Division of the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace is prosecuting the case, following an investigation by the FBI.

Thompson’s subsequent court docket look is scheduled for Nov. 10.