Last night's dramatic shooting and subsequent manhunt in Stern Grove has had serious consequences for the SFPD officer who was shot in the head by an armed robber.
In a press conference this morning at San Francisco General Hospital, where both the suspect and the injured officer are currently hospitalized, acting SFPD chief Toney Chaplin said that the officer had not been merely grazed in the head, as initially reported.
"The injured officer is currently in critical condition," Chaplin said, who noted that the injuries were non-life-threatening. "One centimeter down, and this may have been a fatality for the officer. He still has partial paralysis on the side of his body from the shot in head."
Watch on #Periscope: SFPD Chief updates about injured officer https://t.co/8OEo9pnYBj
— Officer Manfredi (@OfficerManfredi) October 15, 2016
#SFPD Tactical deploying flash bangs nearby to subdue a suspect who allegedly shot an officer in the head. Suspect now in custody pic.twitter.com/ljNsFzENFm
— Christopher Jewett (@sfnewsman) October 15, 2016
The officer who was shot was assigned to Taraval Station, and has been with the department for two years. According to Chaplin, Taraval Station's Capt. Denise Flaherty called him "one of her best officers" and "a really good, strong community member."
Neither the suspect nor the SFPD officer are being named by SFPD at this time. However, the Chronicle reports that the officer was identified by a friend of his family as Officer Kevin Downs.
#UPDATE: This is the surveillance photo used during search for man who shot & hurt @SFPD officer, police say. https://t.co/tXmqLH9UmF pic.twitter.com/6Tz3Ofc24l
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) October 15, 2016
Last night's incident began when the suspect threatened people at the Big 5 sporting goods store in the Lakeshore Shopping Center. After officers responded to the call, the suspect fled. He was located at nearby Everglade Drive, where he then fired several shots at officers, injuring Officer Downs.
Officer Downs' partner rendered aid and called for backup. Police then established a perimeter around Stern Grove and set up a tactical command center at 1515 Sloat Blvd.
Police chased the suspect until he emerged from the bushes at Vicente and 28th Avenue. At this point, multiple officers were involved in an officer-related shooting, according to SFPD. When the suspect fell down, he continued to wield his weapon before being distracted by flashbangs. He was taken into custody.
The incident was an opportunity for SFPD to practice its new de-escalation policies. After several high-profile officer-involved shootings of suspects over the last year, the department has transitioned to a law enforcement philosophy based on preserving sanctity of life.
The investigation is still ongoing; a town hall will be scheduled next week, with timing to be announced.
