Kevin Nishita, a private security guard who died Saturday morning after being wounded three days earlier during an attempted robbery on a San Francisco television news crew he was assigned to protect, is being remembered by three Bay Area police departments where he once worked.

Meanwhile, as police in Oakland continue their homicide investigation in the case, a reward fund has grown to more than $32,500 leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals involved. Nishita, who died Saturday morning, is Oakland’s 126th homicide of 2021.

On Nov. 24, Nishita was assigned to a KRON 4 news crew covering a story in downtown Oakland when he was shot during an attempted robbery of the news crew.

Crime Stoppers of Oakland and the Oakland Police Department are offering the reward. KRON 4 and its parent company, Nexstar Media, are also contributing to the fund, as is Star Protection Agency California, where Nishita worked.

“Kevin’s life was stolen, and we trust the justice system will prevail when those responsible are captured and held accountable.”

Hayward Police Chief Toney Chaplin

Prior to becoming a security guard for Star Protection Agency California, Nishita was a sergeant for the Colma Police Department until his retirement in 2018. He joined the Colma police force in 2012 and served as a detective, field training officer and officer in charge before his promotion to sergeant in 2015. Previously, Nishita was also a police officer in Hayward and San Jose.

The Colma Police Department remembered Nishita on its Facebook account Saturday, adding that he was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Chief’s Award in 2018, an honor given annually to an employee who “embodies a high moral character and demonstrates exemplary performance in all areas of police work, sworn and non-sworn alike, and more importantly, demonstrates our core values and strives to help the community in which he or she serves. This employee gives more of him or herself than asked, and often makes sacrifices to benefit the greater good, without expectation of acknowledgment.”

Hayward Police Chief Toney Chaplin, in a post on that department’s Facebook feed Saturday, wrote: “Our hearts are heavy as we try to process the news of retired police sergeant Kevin Nishita’s death. Kevin’s life was stolen, and we trust the justice system will prevail when those responsible are captured and held accountable. May we remember Kevin as the hard working, honorable, kind, public servant, and family man that he was.”

San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata echoed those remarks in a Facebook post of his own: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nishita family during this difficult time as we honor Kevin’s memory. Our flags will remain at half-staff until his funeral.”

Anyone with information about the fatal shooting is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department’s Homicide Section at 510-238-3821 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.