SFPD has released video footage that provides crucial insights into the tragic sequence of events that culminated in the fatal shooting of Peter Francis Hodge Jr., a 50-year-old security guard at the Dior store in Union Square. The video, encompassing both surveillance and officer body-worn camera footage, aims to cast light on the circumstances surrounding the incident on December 20, 2024, which unfolded following a hit-and-run involving pedestrians and a bicyclist the previous evening.
According to the San Francisco Police Department, the chaotic series of events began when Hodge drove a GMC Yukon onto the sidewalk of Kearny Street at approximately 6:30 p.m. on December 19, 2024. Striking a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman before hitting a man on an electric bicycle, the vehicle then fled the scene. The impact left the pedestrians with non-life-threatening injuries.
The police investigation soon identified Hodge as the primary suspect, with witness accounts and surveillance footage depicting a black SUV with lights akin to emergency vehicles making its way down the sidewalk behind the cyclists. As corroborated by the SF Chronicle, Hodge was witnessed collecting the e-bike rider's belongings after the bicyclist had been ejected onto the sidewalk and fled into a nearby parking garage.
In the subsequent hours, the hunt for the suspect continued, and around 1:30 a.m. on December 20, officers located the GMC in the vicinity of Grant Avenue and Post Street. Bodycam footage highlights the tensions of the moment, showing officers strategizing their approach to take Hodge into custody. The situation escalated quickly, leading to the officer-involved shooting that occurred after Hodge allegedly pointed a firearm at the approaching officers.
During the virtual town hall that followed the release of this footage, KRON4 detailed how officers received confirmation of Hodge's multiple firearm registrations. The released footage—which includes dialogues among officers preparing to approach the suspect—captures the officers' awareness of a possible shootout, with one officer instructing "We’re going to use force against you. Just put your hands up."
The encounter reached its grim conclusion when Hodge, seen holding a raised object resembling a handgun, came under fire from police who engaged using a mix of non-lethal projectiles and firearms. As the footage captures, gunfire was exchanged rapidly once Hodge allegedly assumed a shooter’s stance, leading to his fatal injury.
Commander Mark Im of the SFPD reported that a Glock 31 pistol with unfired cartridges, along with other evidence of gunfire, was found at the scene. However, there’s an ongoing investigation to determine whether Hodge fired any shots during the encounter. In a stark account of the scene aftermath, bullet holes were left in the windows of the Dior store, which stood as an inadvertent backdrop to this confrontation.
While the tragic incident is now subject to review by multiple investigative bodies, including the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, questions remain regarding the incident's buildup and execution. The release of the bodycam footage serves as part of SFPD’s commitment to transparency and accountability, hoping to bring clarity while they continue soliciting eyewitness accounts to piece together the full ambit of events.
San Francisco residents and those impacted by the incident are offered counseling, reflecting the community’s attempts to deal with the aftermath of this unfortunate event, and several agencies vow to continue investigating the fatal confrontation thoroughly.
