Slain veteran journalist described as "assertive"

Chauncey Bailey
Photo courtesy Oakland Tribune

By Jeff Shuttleworth

August 2, 2007

Veteran journalist Chauncey Bailey, who recently was promoted to be editor of the Oakland Post, was fatally shot in downtown Oakland just before 7:30 a.m. today in what appears to be a targeted shooting, according to an Oakland police spokesman.

"This is disheartening," said Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren, who knew Bailey.

Holmgren said the 58-year-old journalist was shot multiple times in the 250 block of 14th Street near Alice Street, which is near a large post office on 13th Street and a McDonald's restaurant at 14th and Jackson streets.

The area also is near Lake Merritt, the Alameda County Administration Building and the main county courthouse at 13th and Oak streets.

The Oakland Post's office is several blocks away at 405 14th St.

Holmgren said witnesses told police that a lone suspect dressed in black clothing and black headgear approached Bailey, shot him multiple times and then fled on foot.

Holmgren said he has no initial explanation for the motive of the shooting and no initial knowledge of any threats that had been made against Bailey.

Holmgren said he knew Bailey because Bailey covered Oakland City Hall as well as police matters and described Bailey as "a very assertive person who spoke his mind and addressed controversial topics."

Bailey worked for The Oakland Tribune for more than 10 years before leaving the newspaper in 2003, according to Tribune employees.

He later joined the Oakland Post, which is oriented toward serving the area's black community.

Gwendolyn Carter, the paper's advertising manager, who came to the shooting scene, said Bailey was just promoted to be editor in the last month or two.

Carter said, "Chauncey was a great man and he called me his little sister."

Derrick Nesbitt praised Bailey for helping him get into the news business when Bailey hosted a television program called "Soul Beat."

Nesbitt said, "Chauncey was very controversial and could bring anger out in people."

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