Oakland community leaders plead for help after fatal shooting of Uber driver: 'We are not OK'
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and Oakland Police Department held a news conference Tuesday to announce a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect who fatally shot Kon "Patrick" Fung on July 17 near the Little Saigon neighborhood.
"We are not OK. The desperation and anger in our communities is growing by the day," says Dr. Jennifer Tran, executive director of the Oakland Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce.
She joined other Oakland community leaders calling for justice for Fung.
Surveillance footage shows Fung being fatally shot as he was starting work as a rideshare driver.
VIDEO: Uber driver ambushed, fatally shot while getting ready for work in Oakland, girlfriend says
"We are hoping that we can find ways so that there are more resources to prevent crime from happening," says Carl Chan, president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
Chan believes more police patrols must be part of the solution.
To that effect, Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong announced a new liaison officer, fluent in Vietnamese, has been assigned to the patrol of Little Saigon.
"We are also in discussion with a business over there that is prepared to provide us a substation for that officer to be housed and work directly in that community," says Chief Armstrong.
But local business owner Nolan Wong has other concerns. He says especially with access to more surveillance footage, there needs to be more effective investigations.
RELATED: Oakland Little Saigon business owners fed up over daily crime, demand change
"Until someone is caught, this will continue. You will see more press conferences, you will see more victims, more armed robberies," says Wong.
Chief Armstrong insists that in big cities like Oakland, his department needs more funding to better tackle crime.
"It takes people to do work, right? The more crime we have, the more information, the more video, it requires us to actually have investigators to follow up," he says.
Along with policing, Oakland city council member Sheng Thao says crime prevention must include more investments in areas such as education and in providing more opportunities for young people.
"We know that if we keep our young people busy, and make sure we get money into their pockets, we are safer for that. And that is why I fought for more funding for summer youth paid internships this summer," says Thao.
Chan believes police reform is necessary, and he hears the critics of over-policing. But he adamant that right now, more police will lead to public safety.
"I have to tell you if you ask everyone in the city of Oakland, I would say that the majority of people will say that they would rather see more police on the street, keeping people safe," says Chan.
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