Oakland cops mistakenly shoot teen

1000 block of Jefferson Street, Oakland 1000 block of Jefferson Street, Oakland Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Oakland cops mistakenly shoot teen 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

An Oakland police officer shot and wounded a teenager Wednesday night after a witness misidentified him as a robbery suspect.

The victim, a 16-year-old Oakland resident, was treated and released from Highland Hospital. Police did not release his name.

The incident started around 9:50 p.m. at 10th and Clay streets downtown, when an employee at Le Cheval restaurant reported she was robbed at knifepoint by three African American men in their 20s wearing hooded sweatshirts.

Police arrived a few minutes later, and a witness pointed them toward three African American men wearing hooded sweatshirts about a block away. The witness said he saw them assaulting another victim.

When police approached the group, one of them made "what the officers perceived to be a threatening gesture," and three of the four officers at the scene pulled their guns. One officer fired, grazing the victim in the lower right jaw.

After detaining the three, officers determined they were all teenagers and not responsible for the earlier robbery, Police Chief Howard Jordan said. No weapons were found.

Jordan declined to describe the threatening gesture, saying the incident is under investigation.

"The outcome is unfortunate for all involved, and the incident will receive the full review it deserves," he said.

The officer who fired has 15 to 20 years' experience and has not been involved in previous shootings, Jordan said.

Meanwhile, police continue to search for the three men responsible for the original robbery.

This was the second officer-involved shooting in Oakland this year.