A 26-year-old suspect who was shot in Oakland while allegedly driving a truck toward a group of U.S. Coast Guard security personnel following a daylong protest in October has been charged with assault.
Bella Thompson was charged Tuesday with one count of assaulting federal officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and could, if convicted, face up to 20 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Thompson is accused of driving a U-Haul box truck in reverse toward a line of Coast Guard security officers as they stood guard on the only bridge that connects Coast Guard Island with Oakland.
The guards were stationed on the bridge in response to a protest over the possible escalation of federal immigration raids that was announced — and then called off — by President Donald Trump on Oct. 23.
Thompson was shot in the back, between the shoulder blades, while allegedly behind the wheel of the truck and was taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland by “a third party” after “rapidly” driving away from the security personnel and off of the bridge, according to a criminal complaint filed by FBI Special Agent Mikael Bergh in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland.
During interviews with federal investigators, the Coast Guard personnel who opened fire said they did so out of fear for their lives, and some said they were worried that the truck might be filled with explosives or assailants, according to the complaint.
After being treated for the gunshot wound, which isn’t considered to be life-threatening, Thompson was transferred to a psychiatric hospital.
“Attempting to use a truck to assault federal officers performing their lawful duties is not protest, it is a violent and serious federal crime.”
Matt Cobo, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge
In addition to Thompson, a man who was attending the protest but who wasn’t inside the truck was also hit by gunfire and is expected to survive.
None of the Coast Guard members were injured.
“Attempting to use a truck to assault federal officers performing their lawful duties is not protest, it is a violent and serious federal crime,” FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo said in a news release Tuesday.
Thompson, who is referred to as Brendan Munro Thompson in court documents, was scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis Westmore on Monday.
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