Around 2 a.m. on the morning on February 10th, Ernesto "Xe" Gonzalez Acosta was shot at the intersection of Hayes and Webster Streets while walking to a friend's house near Alamo Square. Gonzalez Acosta had no record of criminal activity, was described as described as "a free spirit who liked to travel" and worked at the Whole Foods store in the Upper Haight. SFPD currently has no leads in the seemingly random killing.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found the 23-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital where he later died from his wounds. The incident marked the city's fourth homicide of the year and the police department is hoping neighbors or community members can provide some insight. In December, the neighborhood saw another fatal shooting when 24-year-old Byron Beasley was shot and killed two blocks away at Grove and Buchanan streets.
Anyone who may have seen something on the morning of February 10th is encouraged to call SFPD homicide investigator Sgt. John Burke at (415) 553-1145. Tips can also be sent in anonymously to the department's tip line at (415) 575-4444 or via text message to TIP411 with "SFPD" in the message.
