Two Wounded in 24th Street Shoot-Out

Two 18-year-old men who suffered life threatening gunshot wounds Monday night in a shoot-out that began around 10:15 p.m. on 24th Street near Bartlett are now in non-life-threatening condition and are cooperating with a police investigation.

Witnesses said they heard from seven to 12 shots and saw several men running east on 24th Street. One of the men on the south side of 24th Street shouted to his companion across the street, “I’ve been hit,” one witness said.

One of the victims fell at the northeastern 24th Street BART Plaza and the other managed to get as far as South Van Ness, according to a policeman on the scene.   Pedestrians stood around looking on as police put the victim at 24th Street onto a stretcher and into an ambulance.  The victim was conscious.

One man looking on said he had been shot twice in the chest, but no one could confirm this and police said later both men were being treated for life threatening conditions.

It was unclear where the shots came from. Cristiano Valli, who works for Mission Local, said that he heard the rapid gun fire and then witnessed a grey car parked on the north side of 24th Street near Bartlett peel out of its spot and turn north on Valencia Street.

He said there was confusion on the street as it was unclear who was an innocent bystander and who was involved.

Another witness said that a crowd in front of Rustic Pizza on 24th Street jumped into the three cars parked in front of the pizza place and took off. He said that they didn’t appear to be involved, just scared and wanting to get out of harm’s way.

It was unclear if the suspects were on foot or shooting from a car, a policeman at the scene said.

Marta Franco, a reporter for CNET and a former reporter for Mission Local, said she was in the 24th Street Bar when she heard what sounded like firecrackers. She looked out to see several people crouching behind a car on 24th Street.

Police issued a statement tonight saying that the victims were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

“Preliminary information is that the suspect(s) were in a vehicle,” police wrote in a statement. “No arrests have been made. This is an on going investigation in its early stages. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mission Station Investigation Team at (415) 558-5400, the anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.”

At the scene at 24th and Bartlett Street police were interviewing witnesses to piece together what had happened, but no clear narrative emerged.

We will update this as we get more information.

On Tuesday morning all the police tape had been cleared away and the only vestiges of the shoot-out were found on a car parked on Bartlett Street and riddled with four bullet holes.