An early-morning fight between two homeless men in the Mission ended in what the San Francisco Police Department is calling a homicide — San Francisco's 45th of 2014.
SFPD spokesperson Officer Grace Gatpandan says that early Monday morning, witnesses saw two homeless men fighting beneath the 101 overpass by the intersection of Potrero Avenue and Cesar Chavez Street, near Potrero del Sol skatepark and playground.
One of those men, Gatpandan says, was 36-year-old Cesar Castellanos, the other was found dead by police officers who arrived on the scene at 6:30 a.m. Monday.
The Ex reports that the man was killed between 5 and 6 a.m. Monday, and that witnesses to the altercation indicated that Castellanos was responsible for his death.
Castellanos was arrested then and there, Gatpandan says, and was booked into San Francisco County Jail on homicide charges. Gatpandan could not specify the weapon (if any) that Castellanos allegedly used to cause the other man's death at publication time.
According to SF Weekly, the San Francisco Medical Examiner's office has identified the victim, but isn't releasing his name to the public until they're able to notify his family.
This latest crime brings SF's homicide count up to 45 for 2014. In 2013, there were 48 homicides in San Francisco, and in 2012 there were 69.
Related: SF Nearing Last Year's Record As 2014 Homicide Count Rises To 44