Suspect Shoots at Police Negotiators Broker Suspect Surrender

Berkeley, California (Wednesday November 14, 2005) – Just after 7 o’clock this evening Berkeley Police received a call of a loud argument at 1418 Curtis Street.  Two officers were sent to the residence to investigate.  As the officers walked towards the house they noticed the front door was open. A person came out of the house and told the officers that the suspect, later identified as Bashir Allah, was inside and that he was armed with a gun.  At this point, Allah looked through the open front door, produced a firearm and pointed it at the officers.  The two officers were able to dive out of the way moments before Allah fired multiple shots at them. In the process one of the officers was able to knock the person talking to them out of the line of fire.  All three were able to get to a position of safety as Allah barricaded himself in the residence.  Berkeley Police contained the area with the assistance of officers from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, Albany Police, UC Berkeley Police, and the California Highway Patrol. 

Berkeley Police Department’s Negotiator Team was able to make contact with Allah via telephone and broker his surrender.  Mr. Allah gave up without further incident at approximately 8:15 PM.

Bashir Allah, a Berkeley resident, was arrested on 3 counts of attempted murder and is being held in the Berkeley City Jail.

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