Deante Antonio Miller, a 19-year-old African American male, was tragically shot and killed on November 28, 2016, in Oakland, California. The incident occurred at approximately 10:15 a.m. on the 700 block of 39th Street, near West Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Miller was with his close friend, Roderick Trevon Godfrey, also a 19-year-old African American male, when both were shot multiple times.
One of them succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while the other was transported to a hospital but later died from his wounds.
Miller and Godfrey had grown up together in West Oakland and were former students of McClymonds High School. Their deaths sent shockwaves through their community, as friends and family expressed grief and disbelief on social media. Godfrey had been actively involved in discussions about gun violence, even participating in a town hall meeting with U.S. Representative Barbara Lee earlier that year. His father described him as 'a good kid all around,' highlighting the senseless nature of the violence that claimed his life.
Authorities did not immediately release information regarding a suspect or motive in the case. Oakland police did not confirm the identities of the victims in official statements, despite repeated requests. No arrests were reported in connection with the killings, leaving the case unresolved. The deaths of Miller and Godfrey were part of a broader pattern of violence in Oakland, where another homicide occurred later that same day, marking the city's 76th homicide of the year. The lack of leads and arrests in the case underscored ongoing concerns about gun violence and the difficulty of solving such crimes in the community.
