BREAKING: Eye Witness Account of Police Shooting Homeless Man in SF Mission
This article has, and will be updated as fresh information comes in.
San Francisco (CA) – A disturbing eye witness account of police officers shooting a homeless man between 18th and 19th streets on Shotwell this morning in the Mission District. The man who was known to local residents and was shot with both a ‘rifle’ and ‘pistol’ several times by police officers while at least one local resident watched. Police are claiming that the man was armed with a knife, was shot by a non-lethal bean bag rifle before being shot several times with an actual firearm, and the man was taken to SFGH in ‘very critical condition’.
Here is the eyewitness account of a resident who watched the whole thing from his window.
SFPD has confirmed their involvement, closed the street and have spoken with reporters:
#SFPD Investigating Earlier Incident. STREET CLOSURES on CAPP ST (18th->19th), 18TH St (S. Van Ness->Folsom), 19th ST (S. Van Ness->Folsom)
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) April 7, 2016
BREAKING: Scene of OIS in Mission. SFPD shot male on 400 block of Shotwell. Taken to hospital in unknown condition. pic.twitter.com/nQIcg6P4U8
— Michael Barba (@mdbarba) April 7, 2016
It’s not clear if the police’s account of the incident contradicts the eyewitness. The Police claim the man was armed with a knife, and that they shot first with non-lethal bean bags. They also claim that the man did not die on site and is currently in critical condition.
Man said to be armed with knife shot by @SFPD after officers first fired bean-bag rounds, 19th & Shotwell pic.twitter.com/KC225GZAF5
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) April 7, 2016
Man in "very critical condition" after being shot by @SFPD, 19th/Shotwell, per @SFPDChiefSuhr pic.twitter.com/W4oQfhaDnP
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) April 7, 2016
UPDATED 3:40PM
Two more witnesses of the shooting claim the victim did not speak English, was nonviolent and was not carrying or waiving a knife at the time of the incident. They say he had a knife hanging from his belt at the time of the shooting.
Update 6:15pm
Man shot by police has officially died of his wounds at SF General Hospital, Police announce investigation of officer involved
BREAKING: Man shot by police in the Mission has died, SFGH confirms
— SF Examiner (@sfexaminer) April 7, 2016
#SFPD investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Shotwell & 19th St today at 10:04am: https://t.co/RItJCX2piU
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) April 8, 2016
Update: April 8th
surveillance video of police arriving on scene and opening fire. Their target is not in frame. Video shows that it takes officers 12 second from when they exit their vehicles to when they open fire on the suspect.
EXCLUSIVE: Video shows SF police shooting unfolded in 30 seconds https://t.co/yzlLLlNsbS via @sfkale @VivianHo pic.twitter.com/Lbdi55NJRf
— Demian Bulwa (@demianbulwa) April 8, 2016