Veterans Day Active Shooter / Robbery Suspect Officer Involved Shooting Town Hall
On November 11, 2015 at approximately 4:15 PM, San Francisco Police responded to a construction site in the area of Valencia and Cesar Chavez on numerous reports of a person armed with multiple firearms. As officers arrived on scene they heard what they believed to be shots being fired. As the officers came closer, they saw the suspect standing atop a construction elevator pointing a rifle at a hospital. When the officers ordered him to put down his gun, the suspect then redirected the rifle and pointed it down towards the officers. Fearing for their safety and the safety of other persons present, three officers fired at the suspect. The suspect was struck and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male in his late 20s, wearing white coverall type clothing.
A protective sweep of the construction area was performed. No other suspects or victims were located. Very fortunately, there were no injuries to any officers, hospital staff, patients, contract employees or pedestrians.
There had been reports of a possible second gunman. There appears to be no merit to these reports. The suspect acted alone in this incident.
As the situation in San Francisco was unfolding, officers from the San Bruno Police Department contacted San Francisco Police to determine if the shooting suspect matched the description of a person wanted for a robbery that had occurred approximately thirty minutes prior in their jurisdiction. San Bruno Police informed SFPD Inspectors that a suspect had committed a robbery at Big 5 Sporting Goods, taking a shotgun and ammunition from the store at gun point.
The deceased gunman matched the description of the outstanding robbery suspect. San Francisco Police Inspectors confirmed that a pistol and the stolen shotgun similar to the one stolen in the robbery were in the deceased suspect’s possession.
San Francisco Police officers located the shooting suspect’s vehicle at the scene. This vehicle matched the description of the vehicle used to flee the scene of the San Bruno robbery.
On November 12th, the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office identified the subject from the active shooter incident as Javier Lopez Garcia, male, 25 of San Jose, California. Later that same day, the San Bruno Police Department issued a press release regarding the robbery of the sporting goods store and included a link to store surveillance video depicting the robbery. The video shows a man matching Garcia’s description committing the robbery.
Police Chief Greg Suhr has since met with Mr. Garcia’s family and expressed condolences on the part of the Police Department for their loss. Chief Suhr also updated the family on the status of the investigation and the Department will continue to keep the family updated on any new developments in the investigation.
On November 13th, the Police Department held a Town Hall Meeting at St. Luke’s Hospital. Chief Suhr updated the community on the status of the investigation and released additional information on the investigation. The San Bruno Police Department provided a copy of a note left by the suspect in the robbery of the sporting goods store. In the note, the suspect stated that he was not afraid to be shot and cautioned the store employee to not make any sudden moves lest he be forced to start shooting. Statements obtained from witnesses at the construction site also indicated that Mr. Garcia stated that, “I just want to die,” and “I am ready to die.”
The Police Department displayed several photos, including the airsoft replica pistol apparently used by Garcia to steal a tactical shotgun from the sporting goods store in San Bruno. The tactical shotgun was recovered from the construction site as well as a box of shotgun ammunition.
This continues to be an active and on-going investigation, which is being investigated by the SFPD Homicide Detail, the SFPD Internal Affairs Division, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office and the Office of Citizens Complaints. Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the SFPD Homicide Unit at (415) 553-1145, the Anonymous tip line at 415-575-4444 or text-a-tip to TIP411 with SFPD at the beginning of the message.