San Francisco police say quadruple homicide was gang-related

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Police now say a troubling quadruple homicide in San Francisco's Hayes Valley neighborhood was gang-related. And there's a warning for residents in the normally quiet area.

It's a small but painful reminder of the violence that erupted on Laguna Street Friday night -- a memorial is in honor of four people who were shot to death.

"It's just scary because we don't have things like that happen around here too often," said resident David Van Virden.

What happened there was a targeted attack on the four young men, who police say were in a stolen Honda Civic.

One witness told ABC7 News that he heard about 50 gunshots being fired into the stolen car, which was double parked in the middle of the street. By the time help arrived, three people were already dead inside the car, and the fourth died soon after.

According to police, the shootings were gang-related.

"Manuel was never in any gang," said Kim Barnett, the victim's aunt.

Barnett says one of the four killed was her 21-year-old nephew, Manuel O'Neil. She calls him a smart boy who made a bad decision.

"I'm not gonna say he was an innocent bystander, because he chose to get in to that vehicle with his friends," she said.

On Saturday night, inspectors went door-to-door, asking for help in solving this case. They even posted signs in the neighborhood.

Witness Julie Albin told police what she saw.

"I was right next to it and I didn't know where the bullets were coming from or going," she said. "It was really freaky."

Two bullets went into a nearby business. And now police are preparing for the possibility of gang retaliation.

Extra patrols will be in Hayes Valley this weekend. Residents don't know what to make of it.

"Who knows what's gonna happen or if anything will happen," resident Bill Johnson said. "I don't think you can walk around scared."

Fellow Hayes Valley resident Patrick Connors added, "This means I won't even come this way at night at all."

There have been no arrests made in this case.

Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call San Francisco police at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the start of the message.