San Francisco police seriously wound drug suspect

Suspect suffering life threatening wounds

By Tamara Barak, Bay City News Service

June 24, 2006, updated 7:57 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO(BCN) - A drug suspect is suffering life threatening wounds tonight after San Francisco police shot him in the Mission District as he allegedly drove at them.

Sgt. Neville Gittens said a citizen called police at 5:15 p.m. this evening to report a man selling drugs out of a blue Honda on Hoff Street near 16th Street.

Officers responded, but the car was gone. At 5:55 p.m., two officers spotted the vehicle parked on Capp Street between 15th and 16th streets with the suspect inside, Gittens said.

The officers, who were both in uniform, stopped their patrol car in front of the vehicle and got out. The officers then reported that they told the driver to step out of his car and put his hands up, Gittens said.

"The officers stated that he refused to do that and instead drove his vehicle toward them. Officers stated they fired at the suspect," Gittens said.

The vehicle continued to travel between 50-75 yards past the officers and came to rest after crashing into a parked car.

After discovering the suspect had been shot, police called for paramedics. The man was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where he remains tonight with life-threatening gunshot wounds, Gittens said.

The Police Department's homicide unit is investigating, which is routine in officer-involved shootings. The San Francisco district attorney's office is also conducting an investigation of the incident.

Neither officer was hurt. Police have not yet released their names and have not yet confirmed the suspect's identity.

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