Shooting at California Coast Guard Base Wounds Two Amid Immigration Protest

A tense standoff outside a U.S. Coast Guard base in California turned violent late Wednesday night, leaving two people wounded after security personnel opened fire on a U-Haul truck that attempted to breach the facility’s main gate during an immigration protest.

The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. on October 23 at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, a small artificial island between Oakland and Alameda that houses several major Coast Guard commands. The FBI has opened an investigation into the incident, which unfolded just hours after hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the base to protest a deferred federal immigration crackdown ordered by the Trump administration.

The Attempted Breach

According to Lt. Krystal Wolfe, a Coast Guard spokesperson, the shooting began when a U-Haul truck ignored repeated commands to stop as it approached the gate.

“The driver failed to comply and proceeded to put the vehicle in reverse — suddenly accelerating backward at a high rate of speed directly toward security personnel,” Wolfe said in a statement. “When the vehicle’s actions posed a direct threat to the safety of Coast Guard and security personnel, law enforcement officers discharged several rounds of defensive live fire.”

Authorities said the driver was struck in the abdomen and immediately detained. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he is undergoing treatment and a mental health evaluation.

A second victim, identified as a bystander standing near the protest perimeter, was hit by a bullet fragment. That individual was treated at a local hospital and later released, Wolfe confirmed.

Scene of Chaos

Witnesses described a chaotic and confusing scene as the sound of gunfire echoed across the island and protesters scrambled for cover.

“I heard what must have been dozens of shots,” said Kris Ness, a protester who had been demonstrating outside the base since early morning. “People started running and ducking behind cars. It was total panic for a minute.”

Ness told KTVU-TV that the driver appeared to be acting independently of the protest group. “He wasn’t part of us,” Ness said. “He showed up out of nowhere, broke through a barrier, and reversed toward the Coast Guard. It was really weird and dangerous.”

Ness claimed the Coast Guard fired up to 50 rounds before the vehicle came to a stop. “An innocent bystander was struck,” he added. “We ran to help him — he was definitely bleeding.”

Protest Against Federal Immigration Crackdown

The shooting capped an already tense day on Coast Guard Island, where hundreds of protesters had gathered to rally against a planned immigration enforcement operation that was scheduled to begin in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The crackdown, part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing initiative to deploy federal agents to sanctuary cities, was abruptly paused earlier that day following a phone call between Trump and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.

However, many demonstrators said they were unaware of the delay until after the protest began.

During the day’s events, at least two protesters were arrested by California Highway Patrol officers for blocking the entrance and refusing to comply with dispersal orders. Authorities said those arrests were made hours before the shooting and were unrelated to the later violence.

Confusion Over Federal Deployment

The presence of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on Coast Guard Island earlier in the week had drawn significant public attention. Officials said CBP personnel were staging at the base in preparation for the planned enforcement operation targeting undocumented migrants across Northern California.

After the pause was announced, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said that Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez had received confirmation from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials that the suspension covered all nine Bay Area counties.

“The people of the Bay Area can rest assured that there will be no surprise raids while we continue these discussions,” Lee said on October 24. “However, we remain deeply concerned about the militarization of federal immigration policy.”

Federal Response and Investigation

The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office confirmed it has opened a joint investigation into the incident, working with the Coast Guard Investigative Service and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to determine whether the use of force was justified.

Preliminary findings suggest the driver acted alone and that the shooting was not politically motivated, though investigators have not ruled out mental health factors.

“The evidence so far indicates this was an isolated incident involving one individual,” said FBI spokesperson Cameron Polanski. “We have no indication at this time of any coordinated attack or connection to the protest itself.”

Security around the base was tightened overnight, with Coast Guard personnel and local police erecting barriers and rerouting traffic away from the area.

Community and Political Reactions

By Thursday morning, the shooting had reignited debates over both federal enforcement policies and militarized responses to protests. Civil rights advocates called for transparency in the investigation and criticized the government for staging immigration operations on sensitive federal sites.

“This entire episode underscores the volatility that comes with militarizing immigration enforcement,” said Maria De León, director of the California Immigrant Rights Network. “When you mix protests, armed officers, and political tension, tragedy becomes inevitable.”

Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, defended the Coast Guard’s actions, saying the officers responded appropriately to a potential security threat.

“Any vehicle attempting to ram a federal gate must be treated as a potential terror threat,” said Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R–Calif.). “The Coast Guard did what it had to do to protect its people.”

Independent Actor

Protesters continued to distance themselves from the shooter on Thursday, emphasizing that their demonstration had remained peaceful until the vehicle incident.

“In fact, we tried to stop him,” Ness reiterated in a later interview. “He refused to speak to us or to the police. This wasn’t political — it was erratic and frightening.”

Authorities have not yet released the driver’s name, but said he remains under medical supervision and is expected to face multiple federal charges related to trespassing and assault on federal personnel once released.

For residents of Alameda and Oakland, the night’s events have left lingering unease — a reminder of how swiftly political protest can collide with security concerns.

“This was supposed to be a peaceful stand for immigrant rights,” said local activist Tanya Ruiz. “Now two people are hurt, and the message has been overshadowed by violence.”

As the investigation continues, Coast Guard officials have pledged full cooperation with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. The base remains operational but under restricted access as repairs are made to the damaged gate.

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