Suspect in S.F. Police Shooting Dies, Officer Critically Wounded

Update: 10:50 a.m. Monday, Oct. 17:

The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified the man fatally wounded in an officer-involved shooting Friday night as Nicholas McWherter, 26, from Pacifica. McWherter died at San Francisco General Hospital Sunday afternoon.

Original Post: Sunday, Oct. 16:

A man who allegedly shot a police officer in the head Friday night in San Francisco's Lakeshore neighborhood has died, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

The deadly incident began around 8:15 p.m. Friday, when officers responded to the Lakeshore Shopping Center after receiving a call about a man causing a disturbance and making threats, police said.

When officers encountered the man in the first block of Everglade Drive, police say he fired several shots toward the officers, striking one of them in the head. The suspect then ran toward Sigmund Stern Grove, according to police. The injured officer's partner provided first aid and requested backup, and officers established a perimeter around Stern Grove Park, police said.

The suspect came out of the bushes at and tried to run away. Officers, however, chased and shot the suspect, who fell to the ground while holding his gun to his chest and refusing to surrender, according to police.

Tactical officers used flash-bang devices to distract the man, and were able to arrest him. The suspect was taken to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment.

The deceased suspect's name has not been released. Interim Police Chief Toney Chaplin said his officers are still looking into his background.

Police have not identified the injured officer, who is in critical but stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital. Multiple news outlets report that the injured officer is Kevin Downs, a two-year member of the Police Department and co-founder of a nonprofit that aims to "assist in the reintegration of veterans," according to the organization's website.

Chaplin said earlier Saturday that the officer is partially paralyzed on one side of his body. He said the officer is assigned to Taraval Station.

Chaplin said information had been circulating that the officer's injury was a graze wound.

"It was a lot more than that," he said. "One centimeter down and this may have been a fatality for the officer. He underwent surgery to remove fragments from his brain."

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee issued a statement Saturday saying, "Last night I received one of those calls that as a mayor you never want to receive. The phone call that tells you a police officer has been shot in the line of duty."

Lee said the officer was alert when he visited him at San Francisco General Hospital.

"He was able to communicate with me and I had a chance to thank him for his service," Lee said. "I have a good feeling that this officer will recover."

Chaplin said a town hall meeting will be held this week to give residents information about the shooting.

This post contains reporting from Bay City News and the Associated Press.