SFPD police pursuits raise concern following recent accidents

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Several police pursuits in San Francisco are raising a lot of concern about the safety of innocent people in the way. The most recent incident happened less than 24 hours ago, after a suspected robber took off in a car and hit a pedestrian.

San Francisco police are still looking for the driver and the car they were chasing Tuesday night. On Wednesday, with all these recent police chases, SFPD Chief Greg Suhr reiterated just exactly what his department's policy is.

There have been three police pursuits in almost three months in San Francisco.

The one on Tuesday night started at 8th and Mission streets. The car, one that was reported to be used in a robbery, struck a pedestrian as it sped away.

Raymond Che's friend was the one who was hit. He said, "He went flying... It was pretty scary."

On Monday, a police chase from the Bayview ended at 5th and Mission streets, when the driver -- an attempted murder suspect -- rammed his car into two cars, injuring the drivers. Fortunately, they were not hurt seriously.

Suhr says police recovered a gun in his car. He added, "So we don't know what that violent felon might have been or who might have been seriously injured or killed."

In April, Bridget Klecker was killed in the Financial District during a hit-and-run crash. Three armed robbery suspects -- who were caught last month -- were running from police that night. Suhr says his department has, in his words, a very restrictive pursuit policy.

"Unless they're a violent felon, we don't chase them," Suhr told ABC7 News.

In both of the previous car pursuits, police say they were chasing violent felons. In the fatal incident in April, Suhr says the three suspects were armed and dangerous.

"We got the guys responsible in custody, responsible for an armed robbery spree," said Suhr.

Suhr says in Tuesday night's pursuit, the chase did not start until the officer turned his car lights on the car.

"They struck a pedestrian almost as soon as they fled the lights and siren and then it became a pursuit because now they've struck somebody in a crosswalk," Suhr explained.

The person who was hit last night -- who has not been identified -- was listed with life-threatening injuries. ABC7 News has since learned that his condition has been upgraded to serious but stable.