Oakland family mourns father shot, killed trying to stop catalytic converter theft
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland police are investigating the city's 101st homicide of the year on Tuesday. Police were reportedly responding to a catalytic converter theft in the 4000 block of Everett Ave. As they were responding, police were told of a reported shooting that happened in the same location.
The victim has been identified by family as 60-year-old Arturo Coronado.
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Amalya Love says she has a message for the person who shot and killed her father, after allegedly stealing his catalytic converter.
"You already had the catalytic converter. Why did you shoot my dad?" she asks.
Love didn't want to show her face on camera, but she did want to share her story about her father, who died on scene in front of his house while trying to stop the thieves.
Coronado's death marks 101 homicides in Oakland this year.
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"He was everything I could have asked for in a dad. Given the circumstances that we grew up in, he did his best to be the best dad," says Love.
Oakland police say they were initially responding to reports of a catalytic converter theft just after 4 a.m. in Oakland's Glenview neighborhood. That was followed by calls of a shooting in the same location.
"I heard the yelling, and then I just saw the gun point out the window, shoot three times and then the car took off," explains Victor Gonzales, a neighbor.
Gonzales describes Coronado as a good family man. He says the neighborhood was recently hit with two armed robberies and another catalytic converter theft.
"I think it is just disgusting. The fact that it is happening is just a sign of desperation right now around us. I am sad that he lost his life," says Gonzales.
Love says her father worked construction. Justin Dawson was his boss. They worked together for 24 years.
"(He) never hurt anybody. He helped the neighbors. He would help random people. He would wake up every morning at 6 o'clock. He would go to work. He did so much for me," says Dawson.
MORE: Brazen videos capture Bay Area catalytic converter thieves in the act
Michael Cusick was also woken up by the noise. He is struggling to deal with a neighbor who died in front of his own house, just for trying to protect his property.
"I think that was probably more instinct. He probably didn't realize the gravity of what they could potentially do to him. And neither would I at that moment because you kind of just want to protect your property," says Cusick.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of a suspect.
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