San Francisco police shoot wheelchair user during alleged stabbing incident

From The Bay Citizen:

A man was shot after he allegedly stabbed a San Francisco police officer in the city's South of Market District this morning, a police spokesman said.

The shooting happened at about 10:15 a.m. after officers responded to a report of a man vandalizing city vehicles in front of the San Francisco Behavioral Health Services building near 10th and Howard streets, San Francisco police Officer Eric Chiang said.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, was in a wheelchair but was not confined to it, Chiang said.

"He was seen up and moving about a number of times," he said.

The suspect had a rock and knife in his hand and was slashing the tires of some city vehicles in the area, Chiang said. He did not know what the man's motive was for vandalizing the cars.

Following some sort of altercation, the man stabbed one of the officers and then was shot with a less-than-lethal beanbag weapon, Chiang said. When the suspect did not surrender, he was also shot with a handgun, he said.

Chiang did not know if the officer who was stabbed was the one who shot the suspect.

The officer and the suspect were taken separately to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, Chiang said.

Tom Cebollero, owner of Metric Motors at 10th and Howard streets, said he witnessed the chaos that followed the shooting.

"I was outside feeding the meter. I heard a gunshot and then I heard sirens," Cebollero said earlier today. "Tenth Street is blocked off. They're setting up a command center. It's a crazy situation."

Last week, the Bay Area saw three officer-involved shootings during a 24-hour period.