West Oakland BART Station Reopens After Man Shoots Himself While Resisting Officers

The West Oakland BART station resumed train service after closing down for more than three hours Tuesday night after a man shot himself while resisting officers, authorities said.

BART officers approached a man who was smoking on the platform — which is prohibited in California — around 8 p.m. and asked him to put out his cigarette, according to a statement by the transit agency.

The man provided officers with a false name and threatened to jump in front of an oncoming train, the statement noted. He violently resisted and made a move toward his waist, prompting officers to tase him.

The man struggled to reach for his gun and shot himself in the abdomen. Police located his weapon and bullet casing at the station, the statement said.

A passenger waiting at the station witnessed the shooting and captured the moments after the altercation on his cell phone.

BART spokesman Taylor Huckaby said the man was transported to Highland Hospital and later confirmed he was in critical condition.

BART officials sent out several tweets about the closure before announcing they had reopened the station.

AC Transit buses were used to shuttle commuters between the West Oakland and 12th Street stations, Huckaby said.

Both officers were wearing body-worn cameras and the recorded footage is being reviewed, officials said in the statement. The BART Police Department and Alameda County District Attorney will conduct separate investigations as will BART's independent police auditor.

"Any shooting is a tragedy, and we regret the incident having occurred," BART officials said in the statement. "BART thanks passengers and concerned residents for their patience as information was gathered."

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