On the evening of October 9, 1970, four men, dubbed the Lee Street gang, pulled up in front of the Royal Inn on lower Hegenberger Road. Three of them donned masks and entered the Inn and accosted a bookkeeper, holding him at gunpoint. Thwarted in their efforts to access the safe, the trio entered the bar in search of the manager. Demanding that the manager come forth, one of the suspects fired off a round into the ceiling. Then they returned to the office and fired another round, this time striking a payroll clerk in the hip. The suspects ran out of the hotel and climbed into their getaway car, a light-colored Thunderbird.

They sped north on Hegenberger Road as phone calls came into the department. A citizen monitoring the police band radio heard a dispatcher sending officers to the hotel and alerted Oakland Police Department through his short-wave radio that the suspect vehicle was fleeing the area. Sgt. Richard Castle and Officer William Martin spotted the Thunderbird and gave chase. All the cars proceeded north on the Nimitz Freeway towards downtown Oakland.

The Thunderbird left the freeway at the Oak Street off-ramp, quickly followed by the officers. The robbers drove around the block and stopped on 6th Street between Oak and Fallon. Two suspects jumped out of the vehicle, which sped away towards North Oakland. Castle rounded the corner and was immediately fired upon. The suspects advanced on his car continuing to shoot at him. As one of the suspects proceeded to flee, he rounded a corner at the same time as Martin. Each man fired shots simultaneously. The suspect was killed outright. Martin fell to the ground, mortally wounded.

The second suspect at the shooting scene was taken into custody. When the Thunderbird’s driver arrived at his apartment, numerous officers were waiting for him. He made it into his apartment and took his own life. The remaining suspect was later identified and taken into custody near Lake Merritt.

Castle recovered from his wounds and returned to duty. Martin, 24, passed away at Merritt Hospital. He had been a member of the Oakland Police Department for 18 months.

Officer Tsukamoto was born in Tule Lake, California. His family later moved to West Berkeley.

Officer Tsukamoto attended local schools and graduated from Berkeley High School in 1960. Officer Tsukamoto then attended college at Oakland City College, Contra Costa Jr. College and San Jose State University.

Officer Tsukamoto was the first Japanese-American Police Officer hired by the City of Berkeley, appointed on 10-1-69.

After Officer Tsukamoto’s death, a scholarship fund was started in his name. The Ronald T. Tsukamoto Fund provides college scholarships to local youth and helps defray the expenses incurred by officers who attend law enforcement training. For more information on the Ronald T. Tsukamoto Fund, contact Sergeant Michael Holland at 510-644-6119 or Email: mih1@ci.berkeley.ca.us)

FACTS:
At 12:53 a.m., 8-20-70, Officer Tsukamoto stopped a motorist for a traffic violation on University Avenue, west of Mc Gee. Officer Tsukamoto decided not to issue a citation to the motorist and struck up a conversation with him. During this, a black male walked up to the pair and spoke with Officer Tsukamoto and the motorist. Without provocation, the male drew a gun and shot Officer Tsukamoto, fatally wounding him.

The subject fled to a waiting automobile and this case remains unsolved.

Officer Tsukamoto is buried at Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, California.

If you have information regarding the murder of Officer Ronald Tuskamoto, call or write the Berkeley Police Homicide Detail at:

Berkeley Police Homicide Detail
2171 McKinley Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94703-1596
(510) 644-6839

Sergeant Lee died on July 24, 1970 after 12 years of dedicated service to the citizens of the City of Rialto. In 1958, United States Marine Corps member, Darrell Keith Lee was hired by then Chief Sidney Jones. Lee was very well respected and a very hardworking officer. Lee was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1963, after only five years on the job. Sgt. Lee was a past president of the Rialto City Employees Association (a forerunner of the current Rialto Police Benefit Association). Sgt. Lee was a lifelong resident of the City of Rialto and was also a member of the Fontana Elks.

At approximately 2209 hours, April 6, 1970, the Rialto Police Department received a report of a suspicious man attempting to build a fire. The location was the Ace Hi Moving building located by the Santa Fe Railroad tracks between Palm Ave. and 2nd St. Sgt. Lee was dispatched solo to the call and after hearing the lone officer broadcast, the Chief of Police, Sidney Jones, also responded to the location to back Sgt. Lee.

Chief Jones arrived on scene and saw the suspect, Roy Haase, burning papers in his hand. Chief Jones had Haase place his hands on Jones’ police vehicle until Sgt. Lee arrived three minutes later. Chief Jones started to remove an envelope from Haase’s pockets and Haase began fighting with Chief Jones and Sgt. Lee. The suspect was subdued and placed into a patrol unit. The envelope contained $2,300 in cash. The suspect was then transported to the Rialto Police Department for an interview. Haase was later placed on a 72-hour mental health hold.

As soon as Haase was arrested, Sgt. Lee felt ill. Sgt. Lee was transported to San Bernardino Community Hospital, where it was learned that Sgt. Lee had suffered a massive heart attack. Sgt. Lee was then placed on medical leave.

It was later learned that Haase had at one time been committed to Patton State Mental Hospital and he had been discharged from the US Army as a paranoid schizophrenic. Haase was later charged with PC 243 – battery with injuries to a peace officer, by the Office of the District Attorney of San Bernardino County.

On July 24, 1970, Sgt. Lee was still on medical leave when he suffered a second and fatal heart attack. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System later ruled Sgt. Lee’s death was work-related and his death was as a result of in-the-line-of-duty injuries.

Detective Haynie, 30, was shot while attempting to make a narcotics arrest in Fillmore.

Haynie and three other plainclothes sheriff’s narcotics agents entered the house of a suspected drug dealer. The suspect’s 78-year-old father shot Haynie once in the chest. The shooting was determined a misunderstanding, and the father was released.

Donald served as a military police officer in the Army. Donald enjoyed hunting with fellow officers and spending time with his family.

Andrew R. Reese was a fifty – year old Reserve Garden Grove Police Officer. He was killed on May 30, 1970, at the intersection of Brookhurst and Trask in Garden Grove. Officer Reese was directing traffic when he was struck by an out of control vehicle following a traffic collision.