San Francisco Police Arrest Convicted Felon in Possession of Firearms 21-099

On April 25, 2021 at approximately 5:20 pm Tenderloin officers responded to a call of shots fired on the 100 block of Hyde Street. Officers arrived on scene and located spent shell casings of different calibers, vehicles damaged by bullets, and several witnesses. Witnesses described several suspects exchange gunfire, possibly stemming from a prior physical altercation. 

An SFPD investigator with the Crime Gun Investigations Center (CGIC) took over the case and obtained surveillance video that captured the incident. The footage depicted a group of subjects engaged in a confrontation, which quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire between several of the individuals. One of these subjects was identified as a 32-year-old male, Darnell Houston, who is a convicted felon. 

On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at approximately 12:30 pm an arrest team comprised of SFPD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) personnel arrested Houston on the 2600 block of Bancroft Way in Berkeley, CA without incident. Subsequently, members of SFPD CGIC, ATF, and the Pittsburg Police Department responded to Houston’s residence in Pittsburg, CA to serve a search warrant. During the execution of the search warrant, investigators located and seized evidence, including two firearms (one identified as a Personally Manufactured Firearm AKA “ghost gun”), as well as ammunition of various calibers. 

Houston was booked into San Francisco County Jail for aggravated assault with a firearm (245(a)(2)PC), negligent discharge of a firearm (246.3 PC), prohibited person in possession of a firearm (29800(a)(1)PC), and possession of ammunition by a felon (30305(a)(1) PC). 

A photograph of the located and seized firearms Houston was in possession of is attached to this news release. 

While an arrest has been made, this remains an open investigation.  Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD 24-hour Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.