A San Francisco police officer is expected to survive after being shot multiple times in a gun battle Sunday night in which a suspect was also shot, Police Chief Derrick Lew said.
The female officer, whose name hasn’t yet been released, was shot sometime after 10:30 p.m. following an attempt by police to pull over two suspects in a car near Mission and First streets that was allegedly linked to a robbery.
Police said the driver fled, prompting officers to give chase through city streets.
The pursuit ended when the suspects crashed near Bayshore Boulevard and Jerrold Avenue.
Police said the driver then opened fire on officers as they arrived on the scene, striking one of them multiple times.
This prompted officers to shoot back, striking the car’s passenger, according to police officials.
‘A long road to recovery’
Louis Wong, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said the officer was in surgery at Monday morning and is expected to live.
The police chief and Mayor Daniel Lurie confirmed her condition at a news briefing a few hours later.
“Thankfully, she is expected to survive, but still faces a long road to recovery,” Lew said.
“As police officers, we understand the risks that come with our job but last night, the command staff and I spent time with many of the officers that responded to this incident,” Lew said. “We saw new and seasoned officers alike who were shaken to the core.”
“As police officers, we understand the risks that come with our job. … We saw new and seasoned officers alike who were shaken to the core.”
Police Chief Derrick Lew
The car’s passenger was also taken to the hospital, where they were listed in critical condition, Lew said.
After the shooting, the driver fled on foot, police said.
More officers searched the area and later found the driver near Bayshore Boulevard and Costa Street, where he was taken into custody. Investigators also recovered two firearms.
‘A family’s worst nightmare’
Lurie and Lew thanked the officers who responded to the scene and the nurses and doctors at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital who helped save the officer’s life.
“My thoughts are with the officer who was shot and her family during this time,” Lurie said. “I met some of them at the hospital late last night. The call they received is a family’s worst nightmare and I want to recognize their sacrifice, as well.”
“We’re hoping for a speedy recovery,” he said.
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the Police Department’s Investigative Services Division and Internal Affairs Division, and the Department of Police Accountability are investigating the shooting.
Police said a public town hall on the officer-involved shooting will be held within 10 days. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.
