ONLY ON ABC7: Suspect in SFPD standoff in ciritcal condition following surgery

Byby Melanie Woodrow KGO logo
Friday, July 8, 2016
ONLY ON ABC7: Suspect in SFPD standoff in ciritcal condition following surgery
A nearly four-hour standoff with an armed suspect in San Francisco ended peacefully on Wednesday. Officers subdued the man with bean bag shots and flash bangs rather than shooting him with bullets.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A nearly four-hour standoff with an armed suspect in San Francisco ended peacefully on Wednesday.

Officers subdued the man with bean bag shots and flash bangs rather than shooting him with bullets.

The man's family, who doesn't want the man to be named, says he is out of surgery for fractures to his face. They say he will have more surgery on Friday for a fractured arm. Doctors are also keeping an eye on a possible puncture to his lung.

RELATED: SFPD say suspect involved in Tenderloin standoff in custody, gun recovered

San Francisco police say the nearly 4 hour standoff with a man in an altered mental state armed with a gun ended peacefully thanks to the help of his family.

Renita Curry is the man's cousin. She along, with his nephew, recorded messages hostage negotiators played for the man.

"He told his uncle that he loved him and just give up cause it's not worth it," said Curry.

The man then finally surrendered.

SFPD Acting Police Chief Toney Chaplin said this was the outcome officers wanted, saying they've been training to de-escalate situations like this.

"We were going to give this guy as much time as he needed and we needed to make sure that we did not have to resort to lethal force if we didn't absolutely have to," he said.

"I applaud him for that, yes, I do," said Curry. But Curry's applause have now stopped.

"I'm pissed off, I am pissed off," said Curry.

Family members say SFPD initially told them their loved one would be in the psych ward at San Francisco General.

Police have not named the man, but ABC7 News learned he is in critical condition.

Curry says no one called her or the man's mother to tell them.

"They all have my phone number, they talked on my phone to his mother. So why couldn't they call me and tell me," she said.

At the scene on Wednesday, Chaplin said the man's injuries were non-life-threatening he said caused by projectiles police fired at him.

"It's the equivalent of being hit with a night stick," he said.

Curry tells ABC7 News her cousin is bi-polar. She says she doesn't know how he got a gun.