SAN FRANCISCO—On Thursday, March 8, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon revealed that a jury found Deshaun Kittles, 33, guilty of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest with allegations for great bodily injury, personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, and prior convictions.
“The jury’s findings make clear that there is no place for violence in our community,” said District Attorney George Gascón. “This dangerous individual attempted to take another’s life and casually risked the lives others in a reckless attempt to flee. Today’s verdict ensures that he will be held accountable for his actions.”
According to court records, officers responded to a ShotSpotter notification on November 17, 2015 at approximately 2:51 p.m. of Watchman Way in Potrero Hill. While officers drove towards the location, they spotted a white Ford Fusion without license plates traveling in their direction at a high speed from Watchman Way on Dakota Street toward 25th St. The driver of the vehicle made a wide right turn from Dakota St. onto 25th St., nearly colliding with the officers’ patrol vehicle.
Officers made a U-turn and activated sirens in an attempt to stop the car. The suspect ignored the sirens and continued on 25th Street toward Connecticut Street. The front passenger Lenell Kittles, opened the door repeatedly while the officers pursued. Kittles continued driving, crossing a stop sign without stopping, before stopping near Connecticut Street and 25th Street.
Officers approached the vehicle and ordered Kittles to exit. The suspect refused and kept his right hand concealed in his jacket. An officer removed him from the car and instructed him to get on the ground, but Kittles refused. When the officer tried for a second time, Kittles reached his right arm out with a gun. As the two struggled, Kittles dropped the gun but continued to reach for the weapon despite numerous orders to stop. The officer pushed the gun away from Kittles’ reach and he was handcuffed and arrested. His gun, loaded with three live rounds, was retrieved and taken in as evidence. Lenell Kittles was also arrested, questioned, and later released by authorities.
At the same time, other officers responded to the area of Watchman Way where the SpotShotter notification originated. They discovered Ricky Tauaanu’u, 26, bleeding and suffering from four gunshot wounds to the torso. He was transported to San Francisco General Hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds to his back, stomach, left arm, and right hip.
During the time of the shooting, a witness observed a man wearing a beanie and holding an object walk past her home in the direction of the shooting before shots were fired. She saw the same individual walk past her window again, from the direction of the shooting, immediately after shots were fired. She identified Kittles, who was wearing the same beanie, as fitting the description of the man she spotted in the area of the shooting before and after shots were fired.
Surveillance video showed footage of Kittle’s Ford Fusion approaching the Potrero Hill Housing Projects at approximately 2:42 p.m. on November 17, 2015. At approximately 2:47 p.m., the video shows Kittles walking on a footpath between buildings on Missouri Street and Watchman Way. He was seen entering and closing the front door of 35 Watchman Way before exiting the unit and walking towards 43 Watchman Way. For close to a minute, during which the shooting occurred, he disappeared from the camera’s view before reemerging with a gun in his hand pointed in the direction of Missouri St. The footage also depicted Kittles entering his car and culminated with his arrest on the 1800 block of Missouri Street.
“Our community is safer with this individual off of our streets,” said Assistant District Attorney Justine Cephus. “He took four shots at another human being and casually walked away. His actions warrant the outcome.”
Written By Casey Jacobs
