ALAMEDA, Calif. — Security personnel at the U.S. Coast Guard base in Alameda opened fire Thursday evening on a U-Haul truck that reversed rapidly toward officers stationed at the entrance, prompting fears of an imminent attack. The incident occurred following a day of protests against a planned immigration enforcement surge in the San Francisco Bay Area.
According to eyewitnesses and video footage captured by KPIX photojournalist Rick Villaroman, the truck had been parked outside the base for hours before suddenly accelerating in reverse toward a police line. “He just hit the gas and sped towards them,” Villaroman said. “And that’s when they opened fire. About 20 to 30 rounds.”
The Coast Guard confirmed that the driver ignored multiple verbal commands to stop and was deemed a “direct threat” to personnel and base security. Officers responded with gunfire as the vehicle approached the gate in a manner described as “hostile and erratic.”
The driver reportedly fled the scene after the shooting, only to return minutes later and park the bullet-riddled truck nearby. Authorities have not confirmed whether the individual was apprehended or injured. No injuries among law enforcement or Coast Guard personnel were reported.
The shooting took place hours after most protesters had dispersed from the area. Demonstrators had gathered earlier in the day to oppose federal immigration raids planned for the Bay Area, with Coast Guard Island serving as a symbolic focal point.
Oakland police and federal investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage and officer body cams to determine whether protocol was followed and whether charges will be filed. The Coast Guard has not released the identity of the driver or any potential motive.
Civil rights groups have called for transparency in the investigation, warning against excessive use of force. “We need answers about what happened and why lethal force was used,” said a spokesperson for Bay Area Justice Watch.
The incident has reignited debate over the militarization of federal facilities and the intersection of immigration enforcement with public protest. Officials say the base remains on heightened alert pending further investigation.
