A man died after he was shot by an unknown suspect with a handgun at the corner of 24th and Shotwell streets at 11:44 p.m. on Friday, July 1, police report. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Police did not give any further information about the incident.
The Medical Examiner has not yet released any information about the victim.
A sidewalk memorial had been arranged at the intersection by Sunday, and loved ones gathered to mourn their loss.
“I’ve known him since the first grade, he was a really good guy,” said a friend of the victim, who requested anonymity. “He was really down to earth. He was friendly with my whole family. I don’t understand who would have the heart to do somethings like that.”
Nearby residents worried about an increase in crime in the area, citing other recent homicides, including a shooting four blocks away in early June and the stabbing of Larry Teevy at 16th and Mission streets. One told Mission Local she is afraid to walk her dog on Shotwell Street at night. Local police have ramped up their crime-fighting efforts, but at a recent community meeting at Mission Police Station last week, some residents asked for more to be done in certain areas.
“This block has been crazy,” said another resident of the area. “I came home on Saturday and the whole street was cordoned off and the cops were asking if anybody saw anything.”
“Another shooting occurred last night. A round of 6 shots were fired. The victim was taken to the hospital,” wrote one NextDoor user about Friday’s shooting. “This is a scary situation, and also angers us. We need more police presence here.”
A man staying at an Airbnb on the corner told Mission Local he returned early Saturday morning only to find the block cordoned off. He said he was told by officers he could not enter his residence because there could be evidence to collect near the home.
“I thought, wow those didn’t sound like fireworks,” wrote another NextDoor user. “Tuned into the SFPD scanner and heard the cops say it’s at 24th and Shotwell and the victim isn’t breathing. Crazy to think I just heard somebody get shot to death from my bedroom.”
Officials have not indicated what might have motivated the shooting.
We will update this post as more information becomes available.
Erick Arguello? Where are you? What are you doing about violence on 24th Street? Or, don’t you care?
Q: who’s Erick Argüello?