Woman Killed At Pier 14, Suspect Arrested [Updated]

Woman Killed At Pier 14, Suspect Arrested [Updated]Pier 14. (Photo: Curtis Simmons/Flickr)
Rose Garrett
Published on July 02, 2015

Police have confirmed that a woman was shot and killed at Pier 14 this evening, as we briefly noted earlier tonight.

At 6:30pm, SFPD officers responded to a call of a shooting that occurred on Pier 14 (on Embarcadero at Mission). SFPD's Officer Carlos Manfredi reports that a 32-year-old female from Pleasanton was found on the pier. "It appears that the victim suffered a gunshot in the upper torso of her body," Manfredi stated in a press release. "SFPD Officers quickly rendered aid until medics arrived on scene and immediately transported her to San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH). While at SFGH it was later reported that the victim inevitably succumbed to her wounds and passed away."

Officer Manfredi goes on to report that a suspect is in custody:

"During the time of the initial incident, officers received a possible description of a person of interest. After flooding the area with officers in search of this person of interest, officers were later able to locate this subject on the corner of Embarcadero and Townsend. This person of interest in currently being detained at the moment pending further investigation. Homicide Units are currently at the scene as well as our Crime Scene Unit, Night Investigations and several Southern and Central Police Officers."

Update, 7/2: According to the Chronicle, the victim has been identified as Kathryn Steinle. Steinle, who went by Kate and lived on Beale Street, was shot while walking on the pier with her father and a family friend. The shooting appeared to be random, with the 'person of interest' nabbed by police about a mile south of the pier along the Embarcadero at Townsend Street.

The man, identified as Francisco Sanchez, was formally booked and jailed on suspicion of murder today. Sanchez, , whose last known address was in Texas, was on probation.

Mug shot via SFPD.

In a secondary incident, while reporting on the homicide on location at the pier last night, two news crews were robbed at gunpoint of their camera equipment. One cameraman was pistol-whipped and sustained a head injury.

According to SFPD spokesperson Grace Gatpandan, "The suspects are described as three black males, all wearing dark clothing, with one suspect having dreadlocks. The suspect vehicle is described as a black BMW 7 series with upgraded BMW rims, no plates."

We'll update this story with further information on the homicide as we learn more. For now, police urge anyone with information to call the Anonymous Tip Line (415) 575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and include "SFPD" in the message.