(07-20) 21:44 PDT OAKLAND -- Alleged gunman says he wanted 'a revolution'

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Convicted felon Byron Williams loaded up his mother's Toyota Tundra with guns, strapped on his body armor and headed to San Francisco late Saturday night with one thing in mind: to kill workers at the American Civil Liberties Union and an environmental foundation, prosecutors say.

Williams, an anti-government zealot on parole for bank robbery, had hoped to "start a revolution" with the bloodshed at the ACLU and the Tides Foundation in San Francisco, authorities said.

But before he made it to the city, Williams was stopped at early Sunday by California Highway Patrol officers for speeding and driving erratically on westbound Interstate 580 west of Grand Avenue in Oakland.

Police say he then initiated a chaotic, 12-minute gunbattle with officers, firing a 9mm handgun, a .308-caliber rifle and a shotgun. He reloaded his weapons when he ran out of ammunition and stopped only after officers shot him in areas of his body not covered by his bullet-resistant vest, authorities said.

On Tuesday, Williams, 45, of Groveland (Tuolumne County) appeared in an Oakland courtroom on charges that he tried to murder four CHP officers. Authorities described him as a heavily armed man determined not to return to prison. Bullets from the suspect's rifle could penetrate ballistic body armor and vehicles, police said.

'Start a revolution'

After he was wounded and taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland, Williams told investigators "his intention was to start a revolution by traveling to San Francisco and killing people of importance at the Tides Foundation and the ACLU," Oakland police Sgt. Michael Weisenberg wrote in a court affidavit.

The foundation has funded environmental and social justice projects since 1976 and also provides philanthropic advice, according to its website. The ACLU of Northern California is based in San Francisco.

"Obviously, we're dismayed that this has happened, and we're not really going to speculate about the investigation while it's ongoing," said Tod Hill, a Tides spokesman. "We're taking appropriate safety measures."

ACLU officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Sheriff's deputies brought Williams into Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland in a wheelchair Tuesday. His right hand was bandaged. He showed no emotion and kept his head down as he read his copy of the criminal complaint. Asked by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers if he wanted to be represented by the public defender, Williams said yes.

Litany of charges

The complaint accuses Williams of trying to kill CHP officers Vincent Herrick, Richard Coward, Ty Franklin and Todd Owen. In addition to the four charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, Williams was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing ammunition. He also faces enhancements for firing a gun and wearing body armor.

The unemployed carpenter has two strikes - one for a 2001 bank robbery in Madera County and the other for a 1995 bank robbery in Washington state. That means he faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of a third strike in connection with the shootout. He is being held without bail.

The FBI joined Oakland police in investigating the incident because a notebook, titled "California," was found in Williams' car and removed by a bomb squad robot, investigators said. Authorities did not reveal its contents.

1. Your age, gender, and time played:

I am 20 years old, my birthday is September 13, 1989.
I have over 200 days played on my warlock. My XFIRE account shows some of my played time.
http://www.xfire.com/profile/sta250s


2. List any alts and off specs you have gear for AND CAN PLAY COMPETENTLY (your main should be able to respec and play any spec on the fly):

Promethea - Draenei Priest
Dotsw - Human Warrior
Jägermeister - Dwarf Paladin

3. Armory link

[recruit loc="us,Scilla"]Dots[/recruit]

4. WOL, WMO, WWS, etc. links and/or other clear indication of your performance in a raid:

http://www.worldoflogs.com/guilds/2440/
I could be found in every log in the link given above.


5. A history of your previous guild(s)/server(s), their progression, your rank and responsibilities in the guild, and reason(s) for leaving, also include any references we may contact:

Cho'gall-US:
TFM - Cleared up through Sunwell and Sunwell after the enjoyable nerfs. We broke up once WoTLK release was announced. I do not know anyone from that guild that still plays =(

Scilla-US:
Blood Sweat & Tiers(Core Raider): Cleared up to mimiron pre-nerf, could not kill him so the guild broke up into some two bad guilds which I forgot the names of.

Legendary Incompetence(Core Raider) (http://www.li-guild.com): Broke up after clearing Ulduar. Guild officers went to guilds like Crimson Eclipse(which later disbanded), Vigil (Mal'Ganis), Blood Legion (Illidan) and Deus Vox (Laughing Skull). Contacts could be Camcorder(Blood Legion).

You Must Be Critting Me(Officer)(http://www.idcritit.enjin.com): Left the guild on bad terms because I got sick of carrying bad people and someone stole Plague Scientist Boot's (277) from me. The guild transferred from Cho'gall because of their bad reputation only to get a bad reputation on Scilla too. I could not be in a guild like that.

WHAR LEWTS PLZ HALp(CASTER CL)(http://www.wuthapn.com): I enjoy the guild.
I wish people would show up to raid more and stop making stupid excuses to miss raid. Your grandmother is going to die regardless. If it happens faster, she will probably be happy because of the lack of sex she is getting from your grandfather. There is no point in going to college. You are going to die and give all the extra money you make to some stupid bitch who is going to spend it on tampons and make-up. Vacations are pointless. Once you die, you are not going to remember places like Mexico anyways. You are probably better off sitting at home anyways because there are people like Myndore running around in Mexico hoping to run into red necks like you after drinking to steal your wallets. Not to mention that gut, you are better off trying to pick up girls on WoW. YOU ARE GOING TO DIE ANYWAYS. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE EPICS RATHER THAN SOME FOND MEMORIES WHEN YOU DO.

6. It is assumed you will be available from 8-12 ST (Server Time is EST) Tuesday through Thursday, during progression we will raid Sunday and Monday as well starting at 8 ST and ending when all encounters are defeated. If you can’t, please explain why you couldn't make our scheduled raid times (or why you even bothered applying):

I make myself available when a raid is scheduled. I am not one to waste 24 other peoples time. I work a 9-5 job, so I am always available.

7. Post a screen shot of your UI and/or a comprehensive list of mods that you use for raiding?



8. If you have thoroughly answered the following questions and you are confident you are what we are looking for, you have a good chance of being trialed, but we'd like to know why you want to join us? What made you choose us over the other guilds out there?

I would like all inhabitants of The Kipp Kipp Kipp Channel to come back Alliance and raid. I have a strong feeling that if this happened, Lich King would be dead a while ago. Also, Mininolan has a little penis which makes him good at WoW. His online penis is massive. Xo told me.

Sorry friends, won't be able to make it on Thursday night. Unavoidable. :occasion-happyhalloween:

how dare you mention gearscore

Be on for raid or gkick!

Said in chat last night, i will be 30-1 hr late tonight. Work meeting.
On no later then 9.
Cuno has my #

This is a Casual/WLPH hosted 25 Man Heroic ICC25/Normal RS25 weekly raid.

This is a HEROIC MODE clearing group, you will be expected to know the fights, have strong DPS, and have the awareness to not die to stupid stuff all night.

Invites start at 6:00, run starts around 6:30. If you are late or afk, don't expect your spot will be held. We may still need you, but if your spot has been filled, too bad. We aren't going to sit there and wait for you to log in or get on the right character.

This run uses a Tally Loot system, the tallies do NOT carry over between instances. IE: Loot is reset between ICC and Halion. Fuckups are a tally. (Dying to beams, dying to slime, getting hit by ghosts, killing MCs, etc)

LOOT WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO ARMOR LEVEL, EXCEPT FOR BOE ITEMS. BOE ITEMS ARE MAINSPEC ONLY.

First come, first serve, best skilled get the slots. I do armory people, I do check dps logs where applicable. Your 232/245 gear is not acceptable here, most people in this run are half 277, some are nearing BiS.

If you are not pulling your weight, you will be removed and replaced with someone better. You are raiding with some of the best players on the server in this run on their alts, you are expected to play well here.

Current heroic modes cleared:
Marrowgar
Deathwhisper
Gunship
Saurfang
Rotface
Festergut
Council
Lana'thal
Vaitheria

Progression boss we are working on next:
Putricide


Tanks (2):
Frowntown
Myndor


Healers (6):
Promewscuous
Aani
Nethris
Darktwig
Zallyssa
Cadbera


Ranged (8-10):
Cari
Boakwan
Holla
Goldenpiggy
Melisa
Backlobber
Endlessmike
Bootyhunta
Khatea

WAITLIST:
Talreno
Missnewbooty

Melee (7-9):
Tay
Toto
Mentius
Elata
Cuno
Zevo
Zweistel
Moneysinkb


WAITLIST:
Sassafrass

I have some finals on Friday (7/23) and a week from Wednesday (7/28) so I need this next raid week off. If I don't pass the two tests I get teh ban from school so I really need every possible hour to study. I'm sorry I won't be able to hash it out this week

^

Emergency came up- Realized heroic LK isn't on farm.

I'll be over it on Monday.