Two people were left in critical condition after an altercation sprung up early Sunday morning between two groups across the street from SFPD's Mission Station at 17th and Valencia Streets. A bystander alerted the officers at the station and two officers arrived to find one suspect pointing a firearm at a second group of people in front of the cellphone store next door to the sex-positive vibrator store. One officer fired off a shot, striking the gunman and another man. The suspect's weapon turned out to be an air-powered gun.
SFPD officer Gordon Shyy told the Chronicle, "The officer discharged his firearm in order to preserve the safety of the those people." Early reports indicated that the suspect's firearm was actually a replica weapon, but later tests by SFPD proved it was "an air-powered firearm that is capable of discharging a projectile." So it's not exactly a firearm, but it's not exactly a toy either.
While the police and the DA's office are still investigating the incident, SFPD hasn't mentioned what sort of ammo the air gun could be loaded with, but realistic-looking BB guns aren't hard to come by and the Chronicle was quick to label it "nonlethal." The unidentified officer is on paid administrative leave until the investigations wrap up.
Here's SFPD Chief Greg Suhr, explaining the situation to CBS5:
