The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers . . .
 
Photograph: Sergeant Mark Dunakin

Patch image: Oakland Police Department, California






Sergeant Mark Dunakin
Oakland Police Department
California

End of Watch: Saturday, March 21, 2009

Biographical Info
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Killed by other officers

Sergeant Mark Dunakin and Officer John Hege were shot and killed during a traffic stop at 74th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard. During the stop, the driver opened fire, killing Sergeant Dunakin and mortally wounding Officer Hege. Citizens who witnessed the incident called 911 and started CPR on both officers.

The suspect fled on foot, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of officers from the Oakland Police Department, California Highway Patrol, and Alameda County Sheriff’s Department.

At approximately 3:30 pm, the Oakland Police Department received an anonymous tip that the suspect was barricaded inside an apartment building on 74th Avenue.

Officers first attempted to negotiate with the suspect, but when that failed a SWAT team was sent into the location to apprehend him. As the SWAT officers approached, the suspect opened fired with a rifle, killing Sergeant Ervin Romans and Sergeant Daniel Sakai, and wounding a third officer. Officers returned fire, killing the 26-year-old male suspect.

It was later determined that the suspect had an extensive violent criminal history and was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. At the time of the incident he had a no-bail parole warrant.

Sergeant Dunakin had served with the Oakland Police Department for 17 years and is survived by his wife and three children.

Related Line of Duty Deaths
Patch image: Oakland Police Department, CaliforniaSergeant Ervin Romans
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: Oakland Police Department, CaliforniaSergeant Daniel Sakai
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: Saturday, March 21, 2009
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: Oakland Police Department, CaliforniaPolice Officer John Hege
Oakland Police Department, CA
EOW: Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Cause of Death: Gunfire

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