By Police1 Staff
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco police shot and killed a man who fled a routine transit fare inspection, firing on officers as he ran before being shot multiple times.
The unidentified 19-year-old man was approached by officers working a “crime reduction detail” in the city’s crime-ridden Bayview district. As they began to question him, he ran and began firing back at the officers. At that point, at least one officer returned fire, striking and killing the man.
The aftermath of the shooting was captured on multiple cell phone videos. One video, seen below, is titled “SFPD Ruthlessly Shoots and Kills Unarmed 19yr old Man over $2 Bus Fair” and depicts a tumultuous scene following the shooting, as the suspect can be seen moving in a pool of blood. The crowd is heard angrily yelling at officers, claiming the shooting was prompted by the suspect’s failure to pay the $2 fare.
Today, SFPD announced they recovered a gun they believed was used by the suspect.
“Someone picked up the firearm that the suspect had shot with and ran southbound up the street with it,” San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr told ABC 7. “Luckily, someone else in the crowd took video...and officers have been able to track that firearm and we believe we have it in custody.”
Suhr may be referring to the second video below, titled “Aftermath of Bayview gun battle in San Francisco”, in which there appears to be a silver handgun on the sidewalk at around the 0:15 mark.
The suspect was also a person of interest in a fatal Seattle shooting that occurred last week, in which a pregnant woman died from her injuries. He had two felonies in Washington state, and was out on parole.
The shooting sparked protests both Saturday and Sunday in San Francisco’s Mission and Bayview districts. The protests were largely controlled, with only minor damage reported and no arrests.