OAKLAND, Calif. — On July 17, a California state parole agent became the first CDCR officer killed in the line of duty since 2018 when he was shot inside a state parole office by a man who had been released just months earlier after serving only four years for randomly stabbing a stranger in the neck.

A Criminal History Stretching 30 Years

Court documents filed by the Alameda County District Attorney reveal that Bryan Keith Hall, 48, has at least ten prior felony convictions dating back to 1996, including:

• A 1996 home invasion robbery conviction, resulting in a five-year prison sentence
• Felony drug-related convictions in 2003 and 2005
• Felon in possession of a firearm in 2011
• Joyriding and recklessly evading police in 2015
• Assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in 2017
• Two parole revocations, due to violations
• Most recently, a 2022 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon after pleading no contest to a random neck-stabbing

Hall is now facing charges, including first-degree murder with a special circumstance allegation for killing a peace officer, second-degree robbery, multiple gun enhancements, including possession of a large capacity magazine, and the allegation of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he could face life without parole.

KTVU reported that “Questions are now being raised about why Hall was …back on the streets within a couple of years,” and that “dozens of law enforcement officers from across the region came to Hall’s court hearing in Oakland. Many were fellow state parole agents who had worked with Byrd, a married father of three.” 

A Neck Stabbing That Led to a Plea Deal?

In November 2022, Hall approached a man drinking coffee near Lake Merritt in Oakland and stabbed him in the neck without warning. 

According to the East Bay Times, “the stabbing happened around 11:20 a.m. the morning of Nov. 21, 2022, in the 3200 block of Lakeshore Avenue, in one of the city's busiest commercial areas. Witnesses claimed he attacked a man completely at random, plunging a knife into his lower neck before fleeing.”

Hall was charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, crimes that, if proven premeditated, could have carried a life sentence.

In February 2025, Alameda County prosecutors agreed to a plea deal. The attempted murder charge was dropped, and Hall pleaded no contest to felony assault with a deadly weapon. Under California Penal Code Section 245(a)(1), the sentencing range for that offense is two, three, or four years in state prison.

Judge Kimberly Colwell imposed the maximum sentence of four years. However, Hall had already served 1,616 days in county jail, awaiting trial, which is equivalent to more than four years. California law requires that time be credited toward the sentence, so Hall was released on parole on the same day.

“The court, the same day, released Hall directly to parole as he had served in jail his full sentence as defined by law,” a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed.

Parole Agent Killed in the Line of Duty

On July 17, 2025, just five months later, Hall reportedly entered the Division of Adult Parole Operations office in East Oakland at approximately 12:50 p.m. and opened fire. Agent Joshua Lemont Byrd, 40, was shot while on duty and later died at Highland Hospital. Oakland Police detained Hall nearby after a pursuit.

Byrd was a veteran of the Navy. He began his CDCR service in 2014 as a cadet, advancing to the position of correctional sergeant by 2020. He worked at a state hospital in Vacaville. He joined the Oakland parole office just nine months ago, in October 2024. 

In recognition of Joshua Byrd’s service, flags at the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space were lowered to half staff. Officials say this marks the first line-of-duty death for CDCR since 2018. 

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association wrote, “Since the state’s parole law was enacted in 1893, this is the first time a parole agent has been killed in the line of duty.”

Officials and CDCR Mourn a Fallen Agent

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association said Byrd's life reflected a "steadfast dedication to public safety and the highest standards of our profession."

"His passing is a profound loss for his family, his colleagues, and the entire public safety community," association president Neil Flood said in a statement. He added that the "tragic loss is a painful reminder of the real dangers our members face each day, whether inside facilities or in communities throughout the state."

Governor Gavin Newsom and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis described Byrd’s death as heartbreaking and praised him for his integrity and courage. CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber called the loss deeply felt across the agency, and DAPO Acting Director Heather Bowlds remembered Byrd as a valued colleague and public servant.

The Governor ordered flags at half-staff in Byrd’s honor.

"The City of Oakland is heartbroken at the loss of one of our fellow public servants, and we stand by them and all of their colleagues at the state parole service," Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said.

According to East Bay Times, “a 100-mile procession moved from Oakland to Sacramento, as Joshua Lemont Byrd's body was driven to a funeral home in the state's capital, past an untold number of law enforcement officers who lined up to salute the fallen agent.”

Former colleagues at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, where Byrd worked for more than a decade, described Byrd as a “hardworking, dependable, and even-tempered person who was dedicated to his family and career.”

"Byrd would often talk about his wife and kids, telling funny stories of his life. He was funny without even trying to be," said acting Warden Sircoya Williams. "He was truly a pleasure to work with and a great man to know."

The CDCR observed a moment of silence for Byrd during a graduation ceremony for new correctional officers last week. "I have a lot of staff here that are hurting," Capt. Ricardo Jauregui told the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's a constant reminder of how dangerous our profession is."

System Under Fire: How It Happened

The circumstances in this case make it hard not to question California’s sentencing policies, and how it is possible that a violent offender with a decades-long criminal record served only four years in jail for a 2022 stabbing. 

A July 18 letter to the editor in the San Francisco Chronicle is calling for the removal of the Alameda County judge who sentenced Hall.

“Judge too lenient - Regarding “Man accused of killing parole agent in Oakland had dodged potential life sentence in recent plea deal” (Crime, SFChronicle.com, July 18): Why was a lenient plea deal granted in February to a repeat violent criminal like Bryan Keith Hall, who is now the suspect in the killing of a parole agent? Alameda County voters should remove Judge Kimberly Colwell through a recall election for approving a plea deal that dismissed the attempted murder charge against Hall. Three Strikes sentencing enhancement is intended for people like Hall.” – Doug M., Walnut Creek

Why Was the Sentence for Stabbing Someone So Soft?

• Under Penal Code Section 245(a)(1), assault with a deadly weapon that does not involve a firearm is a wobbler offense, punishable by two, three, or four years when charged as a felony.
• No sentence enhancements were applied in Hall’s case – none for great bodily injury, prior strikes, or use of a weapon—so four years was the maximum possible sentence.
• Hall had already served 1,616 days in pretrial custody. California law mandates full credit for that time, meaning his sentence was considered complete the day it was handed down.
• Without additional charges or enhancements, the Alameda judge had no legal authority to impose a longer term.

Support for the Byrd Family: A GoFundMe Campaign

Agent Joshua Byrd’s death is a terrible reminder of the risks faced by corrections and parole personnel and a question about the cost of a system that allows violent offenders to reenter communities without sufficient safeguards. His family, his colleagues, and California’s law enforcement community are now left to reckon with how it happened and how to prevent it from happening again.

A GoFundMe campaign established by friends and coworkers in memory of Agent Byrd has already raised tens of thousands of dollars to support his wife and children, as well as to create a memorial honoring his service. If you would like to support the family, visit the campaign page: For the Byrd Family in Memory of Joshua Byrd.