A federal jury has reached a verdict in the case of Robert Alvin Justus Jr., a man with ties to the "boogaloo" extremist movement.
He has been convicted of murder and attempted murder in connection with the 2020 killing of Federal Protective Service Officer David Patrick Underwood during protests against police brutality in Northern California. The conviction potentially carries a life sentence for Justus.
The fatal shooting occurred on May 29, 2020, as Officer Underwood stood in a guard shack outside a federal building in Oakland, where demonstrations against police brutality were taking place following the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The gunman, Steven Carrillo, a former U.S. Air Force sergeant, had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to more than four decades in federal prison. Carrillo fired 19 rounds from a homemade AR-15 rifle from the back of a van driven by Justus, whom he had met online.
The attack resulted in Officer Underwood's death and left another officer wounded.
Prosecutors presented evidence indicating that Justus and Carrillo were associated with the "boogaloo" movement, a loosely affiliated network of gun enthusiasts and militia-style extremists. This group has been associated with the belief in an impending civil war.
During the trial, Justus testified in his own defense, claiming that he was an unwilling participant and that Carrillo had coerced him into the plot at gunpoint. However, prosecutors argued that Justus had opportunities to escape but chose not to, demonstrating his willingness to participate in the plan.
In the lead-up to the shooting, Justus reportedly left the van twice to scout the area on foot and identify targets before returning to the vehicle. Following the fatal incident, he drove Carrillo back to Milbrae, and the two individuals went their separate ways.
Prosecutors also alleged that Justus attempted to destroy evidence linking him to the shooting while maintaining correspondence with Carrillo about future meetings.
Notably, shortly after Underwood's killing, Carrillo engaged in an ambush against sheriff's deputies in Santa Cruz County, resulting in the death of County Sheriff Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and injuries to several other law enforcement officials. Carrillo pleaded guilty in that case as well and received a life sentence in state prison without the possibility of parole.
This verdict marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to hold individuals accountable for acts of violence committed during protests against police brutality and has implications for extremist movements like the "boogaloo" group.
In another significant development, a man and a woman have been apprehended in connection with the 21-year-old cold case of Robert Williams, a teenager who vanished while on his way to a party in Resolven, Neath, back in 2002. See detailed story here
[ Source ]
Comments
Post a Comment