DAR AL HARB - U.S.A. - CALIFORNIA: SWAT TEAMS AT "YOUR BLACK MOSLEM BAKERY"

SWAT Teams Swarm Your Black Muslim Bakery

EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- Oakland and Fremont police have surrounded the Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland.

NBC11 News has learned that SWAT team negotiators and various high-ranking police officials are at the scene.

Officers from Oakland, Fremont, Alameda and Emeryville are at the scene, reported NBC11's Christie Smith. The police chief and assistant police chief from the Oakland Police Department are also at the scene, reported Smith.

Such a heavy police presence was needed to serve the warrants because of the violent nature of the alleged crimes, according to Oakland Assistant Police Chief Howard Jordan.

The alleged crimes include, "serious violent felonies including murder, robbery and kidnapping," said Jordan.

The incident is happening along San Pablo Avenue near the border of Oakland and Emeryville. A command center has been set up about a mile away in Emeryville.

Police roped off about seven blocks in the area and served several warrants for violent crimes. Police detained 19 people at the bakery and in the area surrounding the bakery, reported Smith.
Police told Smith that the warrants were part of an investigation that has been going on for months.

The late Yusuf Bey was the founder of Your Black Muslim Bakery, famed for its bean and carrot pies and known as having an open door to struggling families. Bey's reputation took a hit in later years as he defended himself against rape allegations in Alameda County.

Most of those charges were later dropped, and one was pending when he died.

More recently, Bey's son and some other young men were identified as the young toughs who bashed liquor bottles in Oakland corner stores and berated the owners for selling alcohol in the community.

Also, longtime Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey was reportedly researching an investigative piece into Your Black Muslim Bakery before he was shot and killed Thursday morning.

It remains unclear whether that killing is connected to Friday morning's heavy police activity at the bakery.



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1) SWAT Teams Swarm Your Black Muslim Bakery