San Francisco police present video of officer-involved shooting in Tenderloin
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Police Department held a virtual town hall Thursday to discuss an officer-involved shooting of a man allegedly holding a knife in the Tenderloin on Aug. 28.
Richard Everett, 54, was shot with both non-lethal rounds and bullets after he appeared to refuse to drop a hunting knife. Police wounded him and he is currently in their custody, Chief Bill Scott said.
The discussion, which was broadcast live on YouTube, began with Scott saying the same things he said at the last officer-involved shooting town hall on Aug. 4 about a man armed with a gun who was shot and killed by police July 26.
"We recognize that our sworn duty as law enforcement officers imposes no more solemn an obligation on us than to honor and respect the sanctity of life," said Scott Thursday afternoon. "We also know that as police officers, we are sometimes required to use force, including deadly force at times in the performance of our duties."
Scott has said his department is committed to transparency and so holds town halls at least 10 days after an officer involved shooting.
The chief turned over the rest of the town hall to Capt. Mark Im, who shared the 911 call that prompted the event, body-worn camera footage from officers, and a video recorded from a bystander.
Though most of what appeared on the footage matched what Capt. Im described in his introduction, there were a few discrepancies.
Police first received a call for service around 10:22 p.m. in the 300 block of Jones Street, between Ellis and Eddy streets in the Tenderloin. A caller reported a man with a knife threatening people, describing the blade as being a "foot long." The caller also said that a man on a scooter attempted to pepper spray the individual, but he wasn't sure if it worked.
Within 3 minutes, police units arrived at the scene and found Everett with a "big ass Rambo-style" knife in his right hand, according to audio from the body-worn camera footage provided by police.
Police set up a containment around Everett, with multiple officers and squad cars, as officers attempted to get him to put down his knife. Police can be heard saying that they are there to help and they don't want to hurt him, but that they can't do so until he puts the knife down.
Everett responds that "almighty God" gave him the knife and says several times that if someone "f's" with him, he will "take it out."
Officers continue for 15 minutes to try to get him to put the knife down as he is surrounded by multiple officers with weapons pointed at him, at one point telling Everett that he is scaring people.
An acquaintance of Everett who refers to him by his nickname, "Louisiana," comes over and also tries to reason with him to put the knife down. In Captain Im's introduction to all the footage, he says that the man described Everett as a person who lives on the street and is "loosey goosey," which can be heard on the audio." Captain Im does not relay that the man also said, "I just don't want him to get shot or nothing," which is also on the audio.
At some point, Everett puts the knife in his waistband and picks up a duffel bag and a milk crate, appearing to mutter to himself and holding both his belongings in his left hand. He begins to walk toward the street and pulls out the knife, aiming it down parallel with his thigh.
According to Im's introduction to the footage, Everett "quickens his pace" and moves toward officers.
"With his left hand, Mr. Everett held the milk crate and the duffel bag in front of his face," said Im. "With the right hand, Mr. Everett raised the knife and swung it back and forth, as he continued to move toward the officers."
Im said at that point officers yelled out "red light," which means they are about to use their non-lethal force bean bag guns. Multiple shots ring out, and Everett eventually falls onto his stomach, writhing.
The footage provided shows Everett pick up his belongings and begin to walk toward the street, pulling out his knife and pointing it downward. Officers say "red light" as soon as Everett begins to walk, when his knife is still in his waistband. Shots fire out the second his knife emerges. As he is being shot at, Everett pulls both arms up and covers his face with his belongings and moves faster into the street, waving his knife blindly as he is shot and eventually falls.
A female bystander can be heard yelling, "No! No! No!" after he is shot.
Chief Scott said his department has not yet determined if officers acted within their training and that the town hall footage was meant to present an impartial and neutral account.
Tenderloin station Captain Sergio Chin closed the presentation.
"We understand the concerns, the questions and emotions that have arisen as a result of this incident," he said. "And we are here to assure you that we take this matter very seriously."
Chin said the department is committed to transparency and accountability and is open to change and reform, and invited residents to monthly community meetings that take place the last Tuesday of each month at the Tenderloin station.
The town hall was then open for questions from the community, but despite upwards of 75 people tuning into the streaming event, no one called in and the meeting ended.
