SAN FRANCISCO—A San Francisco police officer shot a man near the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Tuesday, November 17.
An unknown number of men were reported fighting around 5:09 p.m. at 800 block of Market Street between 4th and 5th Streets. Once officers arrived at the scene, one of the officers shot a man with a Taser, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Authorities indicated in a press release that they quickly transported the suspect to the hospital for treatment for a gunshot wound. The SFPD they are unaware of the suspect’s current medical condition.
The San Francisco Police Department indicated that officers did not use bullets, but an Extended Range Impact Weapon in addition to the Taser gun.
Canada frequently uses the Extended Rage Impact Weapons as they note it is good for general duty policing, and the guns are less lethal than the use of regular guns.
A Canadian law enforcement magazine, Blue Line, interviewed Staff Sgt. Tania Vaughan with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who stated:
“Extended Range Impact Weapons provide increased distance from which police officers can respond to a subject who may be intent on harming themselves or others. This increased distance allows police officers, when tactically feasible, more time to attempt de-escalation.”
The San Francisco Police Department stated in their news release that the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Independent Investigations Bureau, the Department of Police Accountability, the San Francisco Police Department Investigative Services Division, and the SFPD Internal Affairs Division is investigating the incident that occurred in San Francisco.
Authorities will release to the public additional information regarding the incident during a town hall meeting around November 27.
The San Francisco Police Department is asking anyone with information about this incident to call the police department’s 24-Hour Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444. Another option is to send the tips to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. All tipsters may remain anonymous.
