Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
San Francisco Police Make Rare Apology for Officer Shooting
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
May 14, 2021

Share

SAN FRANCISCO — In a rare police apology Thursday, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott apologized for a police shooting last week that injured a burglary suspect.

The man, 23-year-old Xavier Pittman, was shot in the wrist by a plainclothes officer as he was being arrested.

Suspect Shot by Officer as Both Fall to Ground During Arrest

“The shooting of Mr. Pittman quite simply should not have happened,” Scott said during an online town hall. “I’m deeply sorry that Mr. Pittman was shot during this incident, and I would like to take this opportunity to apologize.”

He also apologized to the public, saying “we know you expect us to get this right, and we know how traumatic it is to see these types of incidents — especially when they should not have happened.”

The shooting occurred just before 1 p.m. Friday in the city’s South of Market neighborhood as officers were tracking a stolen silver Mitsubishi carrying three men they described as known burglary suspects. Police said the car was seen at vehicle burglaries at several tourist areas earlier in the day and they were trying to track down the car.

Plainclothes officers spotted the car in an alley, where two suspects from the Mitsubishi were searching and emptying bags, luggage and other items onto the ground. Police said Officer Zachary McAuliffe grabbed Pittman and both fell to the ground when “an officer-involved shooting occurred.”

Attorney Says Pittman Wasn’t Struggling with Officers

Pittman’s attorney, Adante Pointer, told the San Francisco Examiner that Pittman was unarmed and already being detained when he was hit by gunfire. He said the officer had no reason to think his life was in danger.

“Essentially he was ready to be brought into custody, but then to be shot, unexpectedly shot, you don’t know what is going to take place at that point. … He was scared for his life,” Pointer said.

He said his client wasn’t struggling with police as he was being detained.

“He didn’t deserve to be shot,” Pointer said.

Scott said that because the officers’ plainclothes status, they were not wearing body cameras. But police have obtained video surveillance from nearby businesses.

Pittman has been charged with five counts of auto burglary, five counts of conspiracy, one count of possession of stolen property and one count of committing a felony while out on bail.

The San Francisco Police Department and the district attorney’s office are investigating the shooting.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

DON'T MISS

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

DON'T MISS

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

DON'T MISS

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

DON'T MISS

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

DON'T MISS

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

DON'T MISS

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

DON'T MISS

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

DON'T MISS

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

DON'T MISS

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

UP NEXT

How Gentrification Is Killing the Bus: California’s Rising Rents Are Pushing Out Commuters

UP NEXT

Loretta Swit, Emmy-winner Who Played Houlihan on Pioneering TV Series ‘M.A.S.H.,’ Has Died at 87

UP NEXT

Medicaid Work Rules Could Leave a Million Californians With No Health Insurance

UP NEXT

California Lawmaker Won’t Be Charged After Citation for Suspicion of Impaired Driving

UP NEXT

1 in 4 US Children Have Parents With Substance Use Disorder, Study Finds

UP NEXT

Dozens Sickened in Expanding Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Recalled Cucumbers

UP NEXT

Newsom Tussles With Local Officials Over Homelessness

UP NEXT

How Trump’s Vow to Revoke Chinese Student Visas Could Hurt California

UP NEXT

Speaker Johnson Raises Campaign Money in Fresno

UP NEXT

A Program Paying CA Jurors $100 a Day Would End Due to Newsom’s Budget Cuts

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

6 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

20 hours ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

20 hours ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

20 hours ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

20 hours ago

California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Vows to Repeal Transgender Athlete Law

1 day ago

Trans Athlete Competes in California Championships in Clovis Despite National Controversy

1 day ago

Tim Walz Urges Democrats to Fight Back Harder Against ‘Bully’ Trump

1 day ago

US Defense Secretary Warns Indo-Pacific Allies of ‘Imminent’ Threat From China

1 day ago

Hamas Responds to the US Ceasefire Proposal for Gaza While Seeking Amendments

1 day ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

For your next trip, have you considered townsizing? What about choosing a detour destination? And instead of forest-bathing, maybe it’...

5 hours ago

5 hours ago

Townsizing? Land Snorkeling? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo

5 hours ago

Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on California Ports

6 hours ago

Cambodian American Chefs Are Finding Success and Raising Their Culture’s Profile. On Their Terms

6 hours ago

Ancient DNA Reveals a New Group of People Who Lived Near Land Bridge Between the Americas

20 hours ago

FDA Approves Moderna’s New Lower-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine

20 hours ago

Cabrera, Three Relievers Combine to Lead Marlins to Win Over Giants

20 hours ago

Spike in Steel Tariffs Could Imperil Trump Promise of Lower Grocery Prices

20 hours ago

Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Out With Broken Toe After Late-Night Bedroom Mishap

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend