San Francisco police shot and killed a purportedly armed man they say they tracked down — after he allegedly hit pedestrians and a cyclist with a car on Thursday evening.
Assistant Chief David Lazar, who gave a press conference this morning, said the man was believed to be a security guard at Dior, and said he discovered a firearm “on the ground” at the scene that he believed belonged to the guard. He did not give any details about whether the man was armed at the time police shot him.
Lazar also could not confirm how many police officers fired their weapons at the man.
The driver was allegedly driving on the sidewalk around 6:30 p.m. at Kearny and Post streets and hit two pedestrians, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, Lazar said, in pursuit of a man on an electric bicycle. After hitting the two young women leaving a Chipotle, the driver continued toward a Latino man on the bicycle and hit him near Sutter and Kearny streets.
Lazar called the collision an aggravated assault, and said the man fled from the bicycle after being hit by the driver. The driver then attempted to take the bicycle in his car but was unable to; he instead took other property the cyclist had left behind, Lazar said.
Then, at 1:35 this morning, police seeking to arrest the driver used victim and witness statements and video of the scene to locate the man standing outside the Dior store near Grant Avenue and Post Street, according to Lazar.
When officers approached, police shot the man, though it is unclear how the shooting came about.
Lazar said the police still would like to speak to the man on the bicycle.
“We really want to speak to the victim who the suspect attempted to run over, the Hispanic male in his 20s,” Lazar said. ‘We’d love for him to come forward so that we can work with him and help him.”
The two pedestrians were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The police department will hold a town hall within 10 days.
SFPD is asking for all witnesses and possible victims involved in the incident to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
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