A suspicious vehicle report in San Francisco's Castro District led to an exchange of gunfire early Wednesday morning, with both a police officer and a suspect injured in the confrontation.
According to San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Michael Andraychak, it was 12:03 a.m. when officers patrolling the Castro were flagged down by a citizen.
Andraychak says that person directed officers to a "suspicious vehicle," located at 18th and Diamond Streets, an intersection a few blocks west of Castro Street (it's the corner where the Castro post office is).
When the officers approached the car, Andraychak says "there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and at least one officer."
Breaking news-officer involved shooting in San Francisco. This is off diamond and 18th. Castro district @kron4news pic.twitter.com/W1NEPD6Yc0
— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) November 1, 2017
Following the firefight, "One officer was transported to the hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. A suspect was also transported to the hospital for a gunshot wound," Andraychak says.
According to ABC 7, "The police officer is 41-years-old and the suspect is an adult male." The Chron says the officer is a crime scene investigator, and "was shot in the stomach and the hand."
Breaking-People coming back from Halloween parties not allowed past police. Officer involved shooting San Francisco pic.twitter.com/kR8sEN5ao9
— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) November 1, 2017
As of publication time, the conditions of both parties had not been publicly announced, though Andraychak promised more information would be released in a press briefing to be scheduled later this morning. According to the Chron, the police officer "was taken into surgery about 5 a.m. and remained in critical condition" but "The suspect, who was not identified, was wounded, but hospital officials would not disclose his condition because he was in police custody."
According to the Chron:
...dispatch recordings indicate that a man had locked himself inside a gray Chrysler 300 on the 100 block of Diamond Street and refused to come out.It’s unclear from the recordings how the situation escalated, but gunfire was soon reported.
“I need help. Officer down. Officer hit,” a voice called out on the radio.
The voice of what appears to be the injured officer can be heard on the line.
“I’ve been hit...stomach, and shot in the hand,” the officer said.
Responding officers administered first aid to the injured officer and to the suspect until an ambulance arrived, according to the recordings.
As with all police shootings, this one will be investigated by SFPD's Homicide Detail, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, the Department of Police Accountability and SFPD's SFPD Internal Affairs Division. Andraychak also asks that anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call SFPD's tip line at 415-575-4444.
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