Oakland's 100th homicide victim is uncle to city violence prevention coordinator

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland violence prevention employee Kentrell Killens says when he heard the call come Monday afternoon about a shooting near the corner of 12th Street and Kirkham Street in West Oakland, he knew it was near a relative's home.

Killens didn't know until he arrived at the scene about 3 p.m. that Oakland's 100th homicide victim of 2022 would be his own uncle: Louis Truehill, 60, who lived just one block away.

"I left the meeting to come here and when I get here I could see his bike," said Killens, who is a direct service coordinator for Oakland's Department of Violence Prevention. He is part of a team that responds to crime scenes to comfort the victim's family.

On Monday, Killens found himself having to comfort members of his own family.

"I'm trying to muster up the strength to comfort his children who are finding out today that their father has been murdered," Killes said. "So it's very difficult to try and hold it together and yet you're hurting yourself." 

Oakland police say Truehill was found with gunshot wounds and paramedics tried to save him, but he died there on the street near his home. 

Truehill, was known by neighbors as "Joey."

"I'm just devastated. I can't believe this happened. When I found it was him, I'm like wow," said Tino Lowe of Oakland, whose mother lives in the same apartment complex.

Neighbors say Truehill was always trying to help others.

"He was always a friendly guy. He was always offering his time. If he could help someone he would," said Donald Coleman, a neighbor who said he'd just talked with Truehill a few hours before the shooting.

The violence was personal to Police Chief Leronne Armstrong as well. He says he knows the victim's son, Joseph Truehill, a city employee. After arriving at the scene, Armstrong walked over to meet the family and hugged the victim's son and nephew.

Armstrong said it appears this was a case of a disagreement escalating to gun violence. He said there is some evidence, witness testimony and surveillance video footage. He added that community support is critical, however, in order to get tips or leads to find the shooter.

"This idea of no snitching, not giving information to the police, is what allows people to continue with this violence," Armstrong said. 

Family members say Truehill had been overcoming his struggles.

"He was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago," said Killens.

Truehill had finally had gotten a home of his own in West Oakland and had just celebrated his 60th birthday in September. Birthday greetings painted on the front door of his apartment were still visible.

"He was proud to be able to finally get off the streets. To get him a place to live. To have a place of his own, where he could have his grandchildren and children over," said Killens.

"People got to realize you see things going on in the movies. You see actors getting killed. They come back star in other pictures. But when you get killed out here, it's forever. You're not coming back. And you're destroying families," said Coleman, Truehill's neighbor.

"We are ready for this to stop," Killens said. "And it's not just about my uncle. We ready for this city to wake up and realize that we don't have to solve things with violence. This is not the answer,. My prayers are with the city of Oakland. We're suffering with an immense amount of violence. It has to stop. It has to stop."

To contact Oakland Police Homicide Investigators call (510) 238-3821 or the TIP LINE at (510) 238-7950.

Jana Katsuyama is a reporter for KTVU.  Email Jana at jana.katsuyama@fox.com and follow her on Twitter @JanaKTVU or Facebook @NewsJana or ktvu.com.