Shooting incidents considered to be gang-related

San Francisco, California – Multiple gunshots were heard echoing off Central Avenue in Haight-Ashbury on Friday afternoon, between Waller and Haight streets, damaging the Ritual Coffee Roasters business and nearby vehicles. This shooting, along with another in the area the next day, is now considered to be gang-related.

The recent increase in gun activity in the Haight-Ashbury has alarmed residents, as well as City supervisors and the SFPD.

Just a day after cars were sprinkled with bullets and the area’s Ritual Coffee Roasters suffered a broken street-facing window, another shooting happened near Buchanan and Haight streets. That shooting, unlike the prior day’s, involved an individual pulling up to the victim’s car — which was stopped at a red light —and shooting the person. Both, however, seem to be target attacks and not just random acts of violence.

The Chronicle reported that the victim from that attack is receiving care at a nearby hospital; the person is said to still be in critical condition with little other details given on their injuries. Though it was initially believed no one was harmed during last Friday’s shooting near the area’s Ritual Coffee Roasters, it was later learned one person was injured after showing up at SF General Hospital later; that person, too, remains in critical condition.

Due to the rapid succession of these shootings, San Francisco police believe these are not random incidents, but, in fact, are related to the increased gang activity the Haight-Ashbury’s been experiencing over the past year.

“I don’t think it was a random incident,” SF Police Lieutenant Basse Obot told attendees of a virtual community meeting held by District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston this week on the past Saturday shooting. Obot had similar remarks to share about Friday’s spate of gun violence, as well.

“It was not just an act of random street valiance that occurred,” Obot added before offering some situational reassurance. “I know that sometimes it doesn’t make us feel any safer, but this wasn’t someone just showing up out of nowhere and shooting the first person they see, it wasn’t attempted robbery.”

SF police have said that there are likely “some gange elements” involved in these shootings.

SFPD Captain Christopher Pedrini noted that this violence seems to be spurred by two rival groups engaging in territorial disputes. Pedrini added the past week’s events were “unfortunate” and police have found a black SUV thought to have been used in one of the two crimes.

Thus far, no arrests have been made in relation to last weekend’s shootings in the Haight-Ashbury.