SAN FRANCISCO—On Thursday, October 15, a 27-year-old man was fatally shot by a police officer after he took another sergeant’s firearm in an aggressive altercation that took place at the intersection of 8th Street and Market Street in San Francisco’s Mid-Market area. 

The man was identified on October 16, as Herbert Benitez, a resident of San Francisco. SF Police Chief Greg Suhr, announced the incident on Friday to the public.

According to Suhr, two senior police sergeants stationed at the Tenderloin were called to tend to a construction worker’s call of a man throwing and shattering glass bottles in the street. 

According to Suhr, the construction worker had repeatedly asked the man to stop, in an effort to prevent broken glass from damaging tires of the workers’ construction vehicles. The man allegedly became angry and aggressive, and refused to stop; even challenging the worker to call the police.

SFPD's press release of the Benitez shooting.
SFPD’s press release of the Benitez shooting.

After calling authorities, the suspect was approached by the sergeants patrolling the area. The police confronted the man, and when he attempted to put the man into handcuffs, a gun-struggle broke out.

According to Suhr, the sergeant attempted to pin Benitez down, but he began reaching for the officer’s gun. The sergeant yelled to his nearby partner, “He’s getting my gun! He’s getting my gun! Shoot him!”

The sergeant’s partner fired two shots at Benitez’ torso area. Benitez then fell to the ground, and was pronounced died at the scene of the incident, according to Suhr.

Both sergeants were taken to the hospital after the incident, and reportedly suffered injuries to their faces; one of the sergeants also sustained injuries to his knee. 

The San Francisco Police Department has posted about the incident on their social media pages, and website.

A final autopsy report is currently underway for Benitez, and a Town Hall Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, October 19. Any persons with information on the incident is asked to call police at (415) 553-1145, or the Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 to Text-a-Tip to TIP411 and start the message with SFPD.