Police shooting at Powell Street BART Station in San Francisco injures 1; station reopened
A police shooting of an allegedly armed man at the Powell Street BART station in San Francisco Friday morning closed the station for almost two hours, authorities said.
Police later said an armed male subject who was spotted in the neighborhood led police on a foot chase that ended at the BART station with the officer-involved shooting.
The San Francisco Fire Department said it responded at 10:34 a.m. to a report of a shooting at the station and police located one victim. The victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital in stable condition, the fire department said.
A San Francisco Fire Department post on social media indicated a crew was at the station "for a traumatic injury" and urged people to avoid the are of 5th and Market Streets.
Crime scene tape has cordoned off the main entrance to the station and San Francisco police officers were still on the scene.
Trains are running through the station without stopping during the closure, which remained in effect as of 11 a.m., BART spokesperson Jim Allison said.
Shortly before 12 p.m., San Francisco police confirmed that the incident was an officer-involved shooting at around 10:30 a.m. that police are currently investigating.
Police have not provided any details regarding what led to the shooting or identified the individual who was injured.
As of 12:15 p.m., the eastern entrance to the Powell Street BART station reopened and trains are once again stopping at the station. The main entrance to the station remains closed for the shooting investigation.
During a press conference Friday afternoon, SFPD chief Bill Scott said that the incident began at around 10:18 a.m. when officers observed a man in a parked car armed with a gun on the 400 block of Jessie Street on the south side of Market Street.
"Our officers formulated a plan to contain him. The person got out of the car and a foot pursuit ensued," Scott said. "That went on for a couple of blocks and an officer-involved shooting occurred when they chased the armed person down into the BART plaza here at Powell Street."
CBS News Bay Area learned officers were assisting with a homeless encampment clean-up on Jessie Street when they saw the man in a stolen car with a gun out in public view.
One witness said officers tried to get the man to come out of the car to surrender.
"15 different officers started approaching a man, telling him to stop. And he decided to run," said Michael Collins.
Surveillance cameras from Latte Express show the man ignoring the officers and walking toward 5th Street near Market Street. Police followed the gunman with their guns drawn and holding shields.
"I yelled for everybody to get down, 'there's a guy coming this way with a pistol. Get on the ground now and stay on the ground," said witness Michael Kellough.
He was playing the Lotto inside Latte Express and snapped a picture of the gunman. He says the suspect's right hand was on his gun the whole time.
"He came in the door way and I said, 'Get out, dude.' And he didn't come in. He spun around, then he went into the liquor store," Kellough said.
Kellough can be seen in the video on the floor wearing a white hat.
"He could have shot me easily, sure. He could have come in and taken us hostage. What would I have been able to do? Nothing," Kellough said.
Instead, the gunman held up inside the liquor store next door. Officers kept demanding the man to drop his weapon, but he ignored the requests and walked away.
The incident all played out in front dozens and dozens of passersby, shoppers, and tourists near the former Westfield shopping center.
Officers followed the gunman to the Powell Street BART station plaza. Shortly after that, investigators said two officers fired at the gunman. Tourists waiting at Powell Street to ride the cable cars ran for safety.
"Our officers are deployed to prevent crime. And when we see somebody armed with a gun, we want to get that person in custody before they hurt somebody," Scott said.
It was a big scare for those who saw the frightening incident.
"I was in shock. I was definitely in shock," said Collins.
Witnesses said they heard one shot go off first and then the gunfire from the officers. Investigators said they are looking to see if the suspect opened fire on the officers and why officers shot him down in the plaza.
Kellough says he's glad he and other bystanders are safe.
"Maybe lucky in life, but not lucky in the Lotto. Nervous. Relieved that none of us was hurt, injured, or worse," explained Kellough.
Scott said additional details would be provided to the public at a virtual town hall regarding the incident within ten days as is protocol for SFPD officer-involved shootings. The man who was shot was transported to an area hospital and is in fair condition, Scott confirmed.
Scott said officers recovered the firearm in the incident and that there were numerous witnesses to the shooting due to it taking place at the busy BART station.
Da Lin contributed to this story.
