Restaurant employee jailed in fatal baseball bat beating in Oakland’s Uptown district – East Bay Times

OAKLAND — A man was beaten to death Sunday afternoon with a baseball bat in the Uptown district and an employee of the popular Flora restaurant in the area was arrested, authorities said Monday.

Police would not say what the suspect, Juan Espino, 29, of Oakland, did at the restaurant. But according to Alameda County jail booking records, Espino said he was a bartender. He was booked on suspicion of murder and is being held without bail.

Police have not yet released the name of the man killed, a 42-year-old transient, pending notification of his family.

Authorities do not believe the two men knew each other.

The violent confrontation happened about 4:15 p.m. Sunday on the sidewalk outside the restaurant in the 1900 block of Telegraph Avenue.

Police said the victim had gotten into a confrontation with a person Espino knows. Espino then got into another confrontation with the victim that ended with the older man being hit with a baseball bat. He was taken to a hospital where he died at 4:49 p.m.

The suspect was arrested at the scene.No other details have been released.

The restaurant was closed Monday and no one could be reached for comment.

The killing is the 58th homicide investigated by Oakland police this year.

Check back for updates.