S.F. Police: Officer Killed Man After Struggle Over Gun
Update, 4:15 p.m. Friday: The San Francisco medical examiner has identified the victim of Thursday's shooting as 27-year-old San Francisco resident Herbert Benitez.
Update, 3:25 p.m. Thursday: San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr says a sergeant on patrol near Eighth and Market streets at midday Thursday shot and killed a man who had wrestled a gun away from his partner, another sergeant.
Meeting with reporters near the scene of the noontime shooting, Suhr said the episode began when a construction worker flagged down the two police sergeants, who were driving southbound on Eighth Street near Market, and complained about a man he said was throwing glass bottles into the street near a building site.
Suhr's account:
"The two sergeants exited the vehicle to contact and arrest the suspect. As soon as one of the sergeants began to apply handcuffs to the suspect, a violent struggle ensued. The suspect actually got on top of the sergeant attempting the arrest; the other sergeant moved around, started to pull the suspect off the sergeant. The sergeant on the ground yelled to his partner, 'He's getting my gun! He's getting my gun! He's got my gun! Shoot him!' At what point in time the partner officer fire two shots, striking the suspect. The other sergeant's gun came to rest on the sidewalk. The suspect did not survive his injuries."
The suspect, who was not identified, was reportedly a Latino man in his 20s.
Suhr said both sergeants were hurt in the struggle, with both suffering facial injuries and one injuring his knee.
Original post: San Francisco police are investigating a reportedly fatal officer-involved shooting at Eighth and Market streets.
The incident occurred about noon Thursday adjacent to a busy stretch of Market Street just outside the Civic Center BART and Muni stations and a half-block from San Francisco's Main Library.
Police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza told the San Francisco Chronicle that an officer had fired shots but offered no further information.
Photos of the scene showed what appeared to be a tarp-covered body at the entrance to a construction site on Eighth Street, about 100 feet south of Market.
No details were immediately available about the circumstances that led to the shooting.
KRON-Channel 4, among other outlets, said one person died in the incident:
Images from the scene show that at least one person was killed. It’s unknown if there were any other injuries in the shooting. ...
... Police officials have shut down the intersection of Market and 8th is closed and the public is being advised to avoid the area.
Police Chief Greg Suhr is scheduled to make a statement to reporters early this afternoon.