Former Berkeley High student faces new gun case
Detectives detained 20-year-old Romain Usher at court in Oakland this week, Berkeley police wrote.
A former Berkeley High student has been charged with felony gun crimes after showing up near campus with a rifle in his waistband, according to court papers.
The incident took place in May but 20-year-old Romain Usher was just arrested and charged this week, The Scanner has learned.
According to court records, Berkeley High staff alerted police May 14 after seeing an Instagram video Usher posted of himself near Milvia Street and Allston Way "with a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle concealed in the front waistband of his pants."
Berkeley police noted that Usher had been released on his own recognizance in an open Berkeley robbery case and was prohibited by the court from gun possession due to his criminal record.
Detectives detained Usher at court in Oakland this week, BPD wrote.
Romain Usher. BPD
In a search of his Berkeley home, detectives found "several illegal firearms parts, several rounds of live ammunitions (rifle and handgun rounds), and an unserialized short barrel rifle," aka a ghost gun, police said.
According to Berkeley police, Usher admitted that some of the items were his but denied ownership of the rifle — while acknowledging his DNA might be on it.
He also admitted to having had the weapon in the past and taking pictures with it, BPD wrote.
On Wednesday, the Alameda County district attorney's office charged Usher with the manufacture or sale of a large-capacity magazine, possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun and unlawful firearm activity, according to charging papers. All three are listed as felonies.
Usher's robbery case dates back to April 2024 when, police say, he and another person armed with a gun stuck up a Berkeley smoke shop on Ashby Avenue, taking $500 and nearly $3,000 "in electric bongs," according to court papers.
Police said they found Usher's DNA on evidence at the robbery scene.
Later in the year, police arrested Usher after a witness spotted him walking in downtown Berkeley with what turned out to be a "privately made firearm," which ultimately led to a misdemeanor conviction (and probation), BPD wrote.
Usher was scheduled for arraignment in the new gun case Thursday morning.
According to court records, he was still in custody as of publication time. His next court date was not listed in available records.
The Scanner has asked Berkeley police for additional information and will update this story if more details are provided.
