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SF Police Shooting Incident at Market Street Captured by Onlooker’s Video Footage

5 mins read

During the San Francisco Police shooting incident that happened at Market street last Tuesday night, a witness has filmed the entire event unfolding before innocent bystanders and SF police officers stationed at the scene. The footage reveals the man holding a knife walking sideways unstably before two law enforcers opened fire and shot the former. The shootout occurred in front of the Westfield San Francisco Centre mall.

The footage got leaked all over the popular social media platform Instagram, earning thousands of views and topping hashtags of the incident. According to the video’s content, the man with the knife stumbled over a parked car a few moments after. Additionally, the footage lasted for 4 minutes and 41 seconds.

Due to the blurry focus of the filmed video, it remains unknown if authorities either pulled their gun triggers or used less dangerous firearms to detain the man. The audio background emits police sirens blaring. Other police officers reportedly got heard yelling lines such as “Get on the ground!” and other words toward the suspect. 

On Tuesday night, the Police Department spokesman Officer Robert Rueca confirmed in a press conference that the one San Francisco deputy sheriff used a Taser and several other law enforcers deployed non-deadly weapons. Furthermore, he also revealed that a few officers wielded their service firearms and shot sometime during their strained negotiations with the man brandishing a knife in public.

According to Rueca, the investigations that they are currently doing include determining the exact time frame of when the confirmed weapons got used, as it remains unclear when the police officers involved brandished their firearms at the scene.

For next week Tuesday, the San Francisco Police Department mentioned that it intends to release a body-worn camera of the incident to show to the public that they are committed to the state’s transparency and accountability principles when investigating cases.   People can watch the footage during a scheduled virtual town hall on the same day.

According to authorities on Wednesday night, they knew of the video’s existence online and sent it to their inspectors to aid them in investigating the case. Moreover, the police also cautioned public viewers that the SFPD officers present at the scene used less-lethal weapons that sound like gunfire when fired. Additionally, they clarified that the enforcers wielded both 40 mm extended range and 12 gauge impact weapons (ERIWs) to aid in keeping the situation under control. The equipment utilized did not mean to harm the man, police officers, and other witnesses who were there at the incident.

At least one police officer has prompted to open fire with two quick pops as the man holding the knife stumbles to get up on his feet once again. The previously mentioned scenario appears at the footage’s 41-second mark. Afterward, several law enforcers shouted “Drop the knife” multiple times. They yelled at the man lying on the sidewalk while keeping their armed weapons pointed toward him. A single trooper even uttered a few phrases, such as “We’re trying to help you” and “Drop the knife so we can help you!”

The witness who posted the footage on Instagram left an online comment debunking official reports of one enforcer using a Taser. According to him, that said police officer only equipped the weapon but never fired for the entirety of the incident. He proceeded to write that the first cop fired a non-deadly weapon, followed by another officer who pulled his handgun trigger thrice right behind the suspect and disregarding innocent onlookers’ welfare at the scene. Moreover, he stated that the enforcer who fired his handgun shot two additional deadly rounds at the man while more bystanders stood near the line of fire. A third shot eventually followed.

Rueca disclosed on Wednesday evening that the 26-year-old man with the knife got rushed into the nearest hospital to get his gunshot wound treated. As of late, the man’s status remained “life-threatening,” and is taking time recovering at the health center.