Oakland man faces attempted murder charge after SFPD officer struck during North Oakland traffic stop
Charges filed after interagency pursuit and separate OPD firearm discharge investigation
An Oakland man has been charged with attempted murder and other felonies after prosecutors say he struck a San Francisco police officer with a vehicle during an attempted detention in North Oakland, prompting a multi-step pursuit involving both San Francisco and Oakland police.
The case stems from an incident on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, when San Francisco Police Department officers assigned to the Community Violence Reduction Team attempted to stop a suspect vehicle in the 800 block of 47th Street. During the encounter, investigators say the driver maneuvered onto the sidewalk and hit an SFPD officer, causing injuries that were later described as non-life-threatening.
After the officer was struck, SFPD requested assistance from the Oakland Police Department. OPD’s helicopter, ARGUS, located the suspect vehicle in East Oakland and coordinated with patrol officers on the ground. Police reported that officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver did not comply and continued driving.
Time and location of initial incident: about 3:50 p.m., 800 block of 47th Street, Oakland.
Police description of injury: the SFPD officer was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Outcome: two suspects were arrested after the vehicle later collided with an OPD patrol vehicle.
OPD reported that just before 4:30 p.m., one of the suspects attempted a carjacking that was unsuccessful. The pursuit ended in the 3400 block of Webster Street, where police said the suspect vehicle collided with a fully marked OPD patrol vehicle. Two suspects then ran from the vehicle before being arrested.
Police later recovered two firearms in the area, described as believed to have been discarded by the suspects.
Prosecutors identified the defendant as 26-year-old Joseph C. Willis II. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filed charges that include attempted murder, three counts of assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, attempted carjacking, and illegal possession of a gun and ammunition. Prosecutors also alleged sentencing enhancements, including allegations tied to use of a deadly weapon, infliction of great bodily injury, and committing an offense while on bail or release in an unrelated felony matter.
Willis was scheduled to be arraigned Friday at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.
Separately, Oakland police said an officer discharged a firearm during the arrest sequence on Webster Street. OPD reported no one was struck and no injuries resulted from the discharge. The firearm discharge is being investigated under OPD policy, with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Community Police Review Agency conducting independent investigations.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed why the suspect sought in the initial stop was wanted on a warrant.
What is known and what remains under review
Attempted murder and assault allegations relate to the vehicle striking the SFPD officer.
The OPD firearm discharge is under separate investigation, and police have reported no injuries from it.
Two firearms were reported recovered near the arrest scene.