California sheriff’s office recruit killed in freeway shooting a month before graduation

A California man set to graduate and join the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in February has died after being shot while driving down an Oakland freeway on Tuesday afternoon.

David V. Nguyen, 28, was driving on Interstate 580 near the Bay Bridge toll plaza at around 4:30 p.m. when an unidentified assailant fired a gun into his black Toyota Prius.

Nguyen was shot and subsequently crashed into a guardrail. He was taken to Highland Hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

“He was young, smart, strong, brave and everything we seek in a good law enforcement officer,” the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook. They also described the shooting as “another senseless act of gun violence on a Bay Area freeway.”

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Nguyen was driving to his home in San Francisco after a day of training with the 172nd Academy class when the shooting occurred, KPIX reported.

Robert Alvidres, who served with Nguyen in the California National Guard, described him as someone passionate about law enforcement. “He was definitely going to be a great deputy and it is sad,” Alvidres told KGO. “He was so driven to not just become a deputy, and be in law enforcement, but was driven to be great in those positions and really make a difference.”

Nguyen’s sister, Barbara, shared that his passion for law enforcement began at an early age. She told NBC Bay Area that her brother made it to the academy “just through resilience and through hard work.”

“We got through the struggles of being low income, being a first generation family. I got through it because of him,” Barbara said.

David Nguyen. Image via Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation has created an account at the Police Credit Union for Nguyen’s family. Contributions can be made in person at a local Police Credit Union branch or by mail using the following information:

The Police Credit Union

Alameda County Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation

In Memory of David Nguyen

2550 Irving Street

San Francisco, CA 94122

The Golden Gate Division of the California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation. Anyone with information is urged to call the Investigation Tip Line at (707) 917-4491.

No arrests have been made as of this writing.

Featured Image via Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

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