SAN FRANCISCO—On the evening of Thursday, September 20, an officer involved shooting resulted in the hospitalization of a gang member wanted for assault with a deadly weapon.
The night began around 806pm when two San Francisco Police Department plain clothes officers assigned to the SFPD’s Gang Task Force were working with two probation officers from the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department. The collaboration was part of Operation Night Light which is a Juvenile Probation program that helps ensure youth on probation are off the streets and home after curfew. The operation was also part of the SFPD’s violence prevention strategy of Interrupt, Predict and Organize that seeks to interrupt violent crimes, predict where retaliation may occur and prevent additional violence. IPO is also intended to organize community groups in an effort to plan new long term strategies for crime prevention.
According to the SFPD website, the SFPD officers travelling east bound on 14th Street near Natoma Street noticed a subject who they recognized as a gang member on parole. After an SFPD officer got out of his unmarked vehicle and approached the man, the suspect took off westbound on 14th Street. While being chased by the officer on foot, the suspect pulled out an assault pistol. The suspect refused to drop the weapon and turned towards the officer. The officer opened fire and the suspect was struck by the gunfire. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police report that the suspect’s weapon, a “Tec 9” machine pistol, was recovered at the scene. It was loaded with 25 rounds of 9mm ammunition. A second suspect was also detained at the scene. The suspect’s name was unavailable as of press time due to his hospitalization but police describe him as 22 years old and on active parole for assault with a deadly weapon and firearm. His name will be released once he is booked into San Francisco County Jail.
An investigation is underway and is being conducted by the SFPD Homicide Detail, the SFPD Internal Affairs Unit, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Citizens Complaints.
Any witnesses or anyone with information on this incident are asked to call the SFPD Homicide Detail at (415) 553-1145 or the Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or text-a-tip to TIP411 with SFPD in the message.
By Damian Kelly
