“We were just walking—and in an instant, everything changed.”
OAKLAND, Calif., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Following a powerful community memorial and open-casket viewing this afternoon at Acts Full Gospel Church in East Oakland, the family of Dr. Marvin Boomer, Jr.—a beloved educator killed during a police pursuit—is calling for full transparency, accountability, and urgent reform from law enforcement across California.
Dr. Boomer, 40, was killed on May 28 while walking with his partner, Nina Woodruff, near their Oakland home. The couple was struck by a vehicle fleeing California Highway Patrol officers. Dr. Boomer was pronounced dead at the scene. Ms. Woodruff sustained serious physical injuries and remains under medical care.
“This is not just about one family’s unimaginable loss,” said Michelle D. Bernard, a nationally recognized lawyer, political analyst, and spokesperson for the Boomer family. “This is about a growing pattern of reckless police chases over non-violent offenses that too often end in catastrophe—especially in communities of color. Marvin was doing everything right. He was walking in his own neighborhood. Public safety must mean protecting people like Marvin, not endangering them. We demand transparency. We demand accountability. We demand justice.”
On behalf of the family, Marvin’s sister, Ms. Tynesha Boomer, stated:
“My brother’s death is something I will never fully be able to put into words,” said Tynesha Boomer. “Marvin was joy. He was purpose. He was a visionary. And in the hours and days since losing him, I keep coming back to something he texted me in February. In that message, he told me what he wanted for Oakland — his city, his heart. He said he wanted community-based policing, real workforce readiness programs, hourly wages, not just stipends, youth summer programs that lasted the entire summer, not just a few weeks. He called for affordable housing and, ironically, better infrastructure — and he even put ‘potholes, etc.’ in parentheses. It breaks me to say that it was a pothole, a massive one, that the driver who took his life hit just before he struck and killed him. Marvin saw what Oakland needed and he spoke it with clarity, love, and urgency. Now, we have to carry his vision forward. We owe him that much.”
Ms. Nina Woodruff, Marvin’s partner, who survived the crash, added:
“Seconds before impact, Marvin and I saw a police officer chasing the car—on his phone, driving recklessly through our neighborhood. We even had time to ask, ‘Is he seriously on the phone right now?’ Moments later, Marvin was gone, and I was bleeding. I’m in unimaginable pain. I ask the media and public to please respect our privacy and honor Marvin’s legacy with dignity, not headlines.”
Pastor Joseph Cottom, who led the service, offered this message:
“Marvin was a son, a scholar, and a light in this community. His death must awaken city leaders. Faith without works is dead—we must honor him not just with prayer, but with a call to justice. Oakland deserves better.”
Today’s memorial drew educators, advocates, and officials, including Mayor Barbara Lee and Assemblymember Mia Bonta. The Boomer family chose an open-casket viewing to show the devastating human cost of reckless police pursuits.
Michelle D. Bernard, Esq., President & CEO of The Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, serves as spokesperson and legal counsel for the Boomer family and Ms. Woodruff.
All media inquiries should be directed to:
Michelle D. Bernard, Esq.
Email: mbernard@bernardcenter.org
Phone: (301) 807-2394
Further updates will be issued solely through Ms. Bernard.
#JusticeForDrMarvinBoomerJr #SayHisName #PoliceReform #CivilRights
Contact:
Michelle D. Bernard, Esq.
President & CEO, The Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy
Email: mbernard@bernardcenter.org
Phone: (301) 807-2394
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SOURCE The Family of Dr. Marvin Boomer, Jr.
