2nd Boogaloo member convicted of murdering Oakland security guard in 2020
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - A member of the right-wing extremist group Boogaloo Boys has been convicted of murder and attempted murder stemming from the shooting of two Oakland security guards in 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
Robert Justus Jr., 33, of Millbrae, aided and abetted in the murder of Protective Services Officer Dave Underwood and the attempted murder of a second federal officer in a May 29, 2020 drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland.
According to prosecutors, Justus was the driver of the vehicle from which Steven Carrillo, 35, of Santa Cruz, fired the gunshots that killed Underwood and injured the second officer.
Evidence at trial showed that Justus parked his white Ford Econoline van directly across from the federal building on Jefferson Street with an unobstructed view of the officers' guard post.
At 9:44 p.m., the exterior lights of the van turned on and Justus drove north on Jefferson toward the officers. The passenger-side sliding door opened, and Carrillo fired numerous rounds from an AR-style rifle, killing Underwood and seriously injuring his partner.
In the days following the shooting, Justus destroyed digital and physical evidence linking him to the crime, but continued to post anti-law enforcement content on Facebook and he corresponded with Carrillo about future meetings, prosecutors said.
Carrillo would go on to gun down a Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputy and injure another when the officers arrived at his property in Ben Lomond after an eight-day manhunt. Carillo was eventually taken into custody.
Several days later, Justus arrived at the San Francisco Federal Building to meet with the FBI and admit his involvement in the shooting in Oakland, which he said was carried out under duress, and that Carrillo had forced him to participate against his will.
However, prosecutors found that Justus and Carrillo both had expressed a desire to carry out violent acts toward law enforcement and other public officers as part of their allegiance to the Boogaloo Boys, a far-right, anti-government movement.
In February 2020, Justus wrote on Facebook that he had a "bloodlust for police" and in May of that year he posted an image of a police officer being shot in the head with the caption, "Speak to cops in a language they understand."
Both Carrillo and Justus spoke about targeting law enforcement the day before the Oakland shooting. Carrillo posted a video of a mob attacking police cruisers and commented, "This needs to be nationwide. It's a great opportunity to target the specialty soup bois."
According to the FBI, "specialty soup bois" is Boogaloo slang for federal agents. Justus responded to Carrillo's post with "Let's boogie."
The pair had hoped to use the George Floyd protests happening in Oakland that May as a springboard to spark further anti-government violence.
Justus was convicted of murder and attempted murder of a federal employee, and he faces a mandatory term of life in prison. He is set to be sentenced on Feb. 24, 2024.
Carrillo was sentenced to 41 years in prison for the Oakland shooting. Carrillo also has been given a life sentence in Santa Cruz County for the murder of the sheriff's deputy.
