Protest Over BART Shooting Turns Violent; Officer Resigns

OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS) -- Oakland police officers in riot gear, used tear gas to keep control of an estimated crowd of several hundred people who had gathered Wednesday to protest the shooting of an unarmed man by a BART police officer. There were reports of police cars being vandalized and fires set.

The

protest over the shooting of an unarmed man by BART police turned violent on the same day the officer who shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant resigned.

Hundreds of protestors gathered at BART's Fruitvale Station after Grant's funeral to protest what they say is an incident of police brutality at the site of the young father's death. The crowds prompted BART to interrupt service at the station, with trains passing through without stopping throughout the afternoon and into the night.

At about 5pm, demonstrators began marching down International Boulevard towards Lake Meritt, completely blocking westbound traffic on the street. About 10 police cars were called in to escort the protestors to the lake.

The situation later turned violent when protestors set Dumpsters on fire and vandalized a police car, smashing the back window and attempting to overturn it. Police in riot gear fired tear gas at the rowdy demonstrators, who ran from the scene. Smaller splinter groups of protestors continued their march through the area.

KCBS Reports

The rally and march followed the news that Officer Johannes Mehserle submitted his resignation Wednesday morning.

Mehserle has not yet spoken with investigators about the shooting, but BART spokesman Linton Johnson said it appears the former BART police officer is being cooperative but his attorney hasn't made him available.

BART investigators have urged the officer to meet and cooperate with the transit agency’s investigation into the fatal shooting.

BART Police investigators have notified the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office of the resignation and this development. The District Attorney’s office is conducting an independent probe of the New Year's shooting, which was captured by several witnesses on cell phone and video cameras.

BART spokesman Linton Johnson said Mehserle has received death threats and has had to move twice to ensure his safety.