An off-duty San Francisco Police officer who teaches "defensive tactics" at the SFPD academy shot and injured an alleged robbery suspect in Lower Nob Hill Wednesday morning, a police spokesperson says.
The details initially provided by the SFPD were sketchy: according to SFPD spokesperson Officer Gordon Shyy, "Early this morning on the 900 block of Leavenworth, an off duty officer was confronted by a suspect in an attempted robbery. The suspect was shot by the officer. This incident is under investigation at this time."
By 11 a.m., however, the SFPD was ready to release more information, So here's what we know:
According to SFPD spokesperson Sergeant Monica MacDonald, at around 6 this morning, a passerby spotted a man attempting to break into a car by smashing a window with a wooden stick, possibly a chair leg, MacDonald says. When the passerby confronted the man, the alleged window-smasher hit the passer-by and robbed him.
The victim didn't immediately report the robbery, MacDonald says, but as he was passing Another Café, which is located at 1191 Pine Street, he says he saw his mugger throw coffee on someone inside the cafe, then run out.
That's when the suspect (whom police have yet to identify) ran into an area apartment building, where he met the off-duty SFPD officer, who was leaving an apartment in the building.
The suspect then tried to rob the officer, MacDonald says. The officer, who MacDonald says teaches defensive tactics at the police academy, identified himself as a police officer and drew his gun.
The suspect refused to comply with the officer and said the officer would have to kill him, MacDonald said.
At that point, the officer holstered his handgun and called for backup, as the two "became engaged in a physical struggle," during which the suspect bit the officer, MacDonald said.
According to MacDonald, during the struggle, the suspect reached for the officer's gun, which went off.
The shot hit the suspect in the upper body. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, MacDonald says. She did not have an update on his condition at publication time.
According to MacDonald, both the SFPD and the district attorney’s office are investigating the shooting, and the officer has been placed on non-active duty (as is protocol) until the investigation concludes.