Man faces murder charge in botched robbery of Oakland Brinks armored truck
OAKLAND, Calif. October 11 2022– Oakland police arrested a man this week in connection with an attempted robbery of an armored Brinks truck last month. The incident from Sept. 23, at 44th Avenue and International Boulevard, left one person dead and two people injured.
Trevon Johnson, 27, of Vallejo, has been charged by Alameda County District Attorney’s Office with murder, attempted murder and robbery in the shooting death by the Brinks guard of Johnson’s alleged fellow robber Darrion Nash. Court documents explain why a murder charge is being pinned on Johnson.
The documents indicate four suspects approached the Brinks armored vehicle security driver outside a Napa Auto Parts store on a Friday afternoon. Nash drew a handgun and ran toward the driver in an attempt to tackle him. Johnson then allegedly fired a handgun toward the victim. The guard drew his firearm and fired back toward the group. In this exchange of gunfire Nash was fatally wounded. Johnson suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
Video shows Johnson being placed into the suspect vehicle wearing distinctive clothing, court documents say. An hour after the incident, Johnson arrived at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital wearing the same distinctive clothing as the wounded suspect in Oakland.
The D.A.’s office is charging Johnson with robbery. The guard dropped a bag during the confrontation. A suspect is seen on video taking the bag and fleeing. The D.A. alleges the theft was accomplished by means of force.
“Johnson, by firing a handgun at the victim during a robbery, was a major participant in a specified felony and acted with reckless indifference to human life, which a death occurred. Johnson therefore committed murder during the course of the robbery,” the court document states.
Johnson acknowledged knowing Nash, but denied being present during the incident. He says he was shot at an unknown location in San Francisco, by an unknown assailant.
Johnson is being held without bail and is expected to enter a plea next week.
