SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The family of Kevin Nishita on Friday made a public plea for anyone with information to come forward after the security guard’s tragic killing while protecting a NewsNation affiliate KRON4 News reporter from an attempted armed robbery.
“I kindly ask that if anybody was in that area at that time and they have any video they can turn in to OPD, please give it to the police. We’ve heard so far that there have been people that were doing video with their cellphones. And I beg you to please come forward. You can tell the police officers that you don’t want to be involved. We just need the video footage please. It’s justice for Kevin. He was a security guard and he was out there to protect the newscast. And we need justice for him,” Nishita’s wife Virginia said in an interview with KRON4.
“We are seeking to find the reasoning behind all of this so that we can have some closure and we can understand why it happened,” she added.
Nishita worked for Star Security, which sends guards to protect Bay Area news crews while they are out on stories.
On the afternoon of Nov. 24, KRON4 was on assignment covering a retail theft in Oakland with Nishita when someone shot him while trying to rob them of their camera equipment.
The reporter was physically uninjured, but Nishita was hospitalized and died days later from the gunshot wound.
“That was in his personality. To be that protector, to be that brave one that just wanted to protect people. So for the community, he definitely protected people. But he asked them, ‘how can I help you?’ He has a kind heart like that and that’s why he joined the police force,” Virginia said.
No arrests have been made in the case. However, Oakland police released a photo and description of a suspect vehicle, a white 2004-2008 Acura TL with a sunroof and no front license plate.
Authorities said it is believed the car involved in the shooting of Nishita is the same car used during an armed robbery in the San Francisco area on Nov. 22.
The San Francisco and Oakland police departments are investigating the cases.
A reward of $32,500 is being offered for information that leads to arrests in the shooting.
“He didn’t deserve this. He was retired. He was just looking to stay busy. We just wish he could come home,” said Nishita’s son, Enrique Serrano.
“He never asked for anything in return. Always asked what I needed, what we needed. Just asked us to be happy, work hard in life. That’s what I’ll remember most,” he added.
Virginia said even though he may not be alive, he’s still giving to the community.
“He is a donor. And he has graciously given his skin to a young man that was burned so they can skin graft him. Other organs were given out to others that I’ll be told about later. So he’s still giving even though he’s not here.”
Two days ago, Nishita’s body was transported from the Alameda County Coroner in Oakland to the Cusimano Family Colonial Mortuary in Mountain View.
There was a police procession of red and blue flashing lights, a fitting tribute honoring his career of service in uniform as an officer at the Oakland Housing Authority, Hayward Police, Colma Police, and the San Jose Police Department, who led the way during the procession.
“Sgt. Nishita, when he was still with the San Jose Police Department, we were detectives together in the gang investigation unit for three years. We brought our brother home, and that’s what this is about,” said Capt. Carlos Acosta with the San Jose Police Department.
Donations to Nishita’s family can be made to the Kevin Nishita Trust at Metropolitan Bank, 381 8th St., Oakland, CA 94601.
Donations can be made in person at any Metropolitan Bank location or via mail. The account number: 116020591, routing number 121141343.
“We’ll truly miss him. He was a big part of this family, as our king, our protector, our brave one, our adviser, other than just a grandpa and a father and a husband … he was our everything,” Virginia said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Oakland Police Department’s Homicide Section at 510-238-3821.
