Gunman Shot By SF Police On Hospital Rooftop Was Apparently Suicidal
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A 25-year-old gunman and robbery suspect who was fatally shot by San Francisco police officers atop a hospital construction site on Wednesday was apparently suicidal, according to police.
San Jose resident Javier Lopez Garcia died during the incident at California Pacific Medical Center's St. Luke's campus in the city's Mission District.
Officers responded at 4:15 p.m. to reports of a man armed with multiple firearms atop the construction site, police said.
As the incident was unfolding, the San Bruno Police Department contacted San Francisco police to determine whether the suspect matched the description of a man wanted for a robbery that occurred about 30 minutes earlier in San Bruno.
In that robbery, a suspect entered a Big 5 Sporting Goods store located at 855 El Camino Real in San Bruno and took a shotgun and ammunition from the store at gunpoint, according to police.
San Bruno Police Lt. Tim Mahon tells KPIX the suspect acted like he wanted to buy a weapon at first. He brought in an ad for a shotgun and asked the clerk if he could see it. He also asked for some ammunition, which the clerk put down on the counter.
"At that point, he removes the handgun from his pocket, points it at the clerk and says, 'hey, I don't want any money. I just want the shotgun. You try to stop me, I will shoot you. I'm not afraid to get shot myself, I'm suicidal,'" Mahon said.
"So that led us to believe that whoever contacted him - whatever law enforcement agency contacted him - it probably wasn't going to go well. That there was going to be some kind of shootout."
Mahon says the clerk actually hesitated before giving up the weapon.
"He (the clerk) was kind of talking with him and was trying to look at the gun to make sure it was real. That it wasn't a fake gun because he didn't want to give a real gun to someone who's got a fake gun. But he realized, you know, 'this looks real to me. He's serious. He's not going to mess around,'" Mahon said.
"Just a really strange day in San Bruno," Mahon added.
San Francisco police said Garcia was in possession of a pistol and a stolen shotgun similar to the one taken in the San Bruno robbery.
Following the shooting, police performed a protective sweep of the construction area and hospital but did not find any other suspects or victims.
Police said there were initial reports of a possible second gunman, but it appears the suspect acted alone.
Officers are examining Garcia's vehicle, which was located at the scene, and are still working to determine a motive in the case.
There were no reported injuries to officers or any other people. San Francisco police have not yet released the names of the officers involved in the shooting.
An autopsy examination is being conducted to determine Garcia's cause of death, according to the medical examiner's office.
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