Oakland police fatal shooting of Jose Castillo

On July 13, 2026, Oakland police fatally shot 43-year-old Jose Angel Castillo during a confrontation near a homeless encampment at 40th Avenue and International Boulevard. Authorities reported that Castillo was armed with a hammer and two improvised spears. After Castillo reportedly failed to comply with orders to drop the weapons and advanced toward officers despite the use of Tasers, two officers discharged their firearms. Castillo was pronounced dead at the scene, and the involved officers were placed on administrative leave.

Following a month of pressure from advocates for transparency, the Oakland Police Department released body camera footage of the encounter. The video shows officers pursuing Castillo for approximately one minute after he was chased from an encampment by California Highway Patrol. The footage depicts officers using Tasers in a parking lot before opening fire as Castillo swung one of the poles.

The incident led to a protest in downtown Oakland on August 14. Organized by groups such as the Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, demonstrators marched toward police headquarters to criticize the officers' conduct. Protesters alleged that Castillo was in mental distress and called for increased police accountability and community control over policing.