Police say 'jerks' caused trouble at San Francisco Giants celebrations

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco Giants fans went overboard Wednesday night, turning a celebration into mayhem. At one point, SFPD Chief Greg Suhr waded into the conflict, telling a dozen kids yelling at police to turn off the music and leave, or face arrest.

Police say 99.9 percent of Giants fans celebrating the World Series win did so with drinks, dancing, and hugging strangers. Unfortunately, Suhr says about 100 near the ballpark and in the city's Mission District marred the party.

"To the clowns that came to San Francisco to act out, I guess you just don't know what it's like to have a good time without being a jerk, and we had a lot of them last night," he said.

They were the ones lighting bonfires in the middle of city streets, dancing on cars, setting off fireworks, and vandalizing businesses.

"They are not regular people," said business owner Rodolfo Arguello. "That's no way to celebrate a victory like this. There are proper ways to do it, rather than defacing somebody's property."

The windows of his Mission District business are covered with graffiti and someone keyed the glass.

It was the same up and down the street. At the Milagros de Mexico Health and Wellness Store, owner Lucy Gomez says she's happy the Giants won, but not happy about the consequences.

"To replace these windows, it's gonna cost a lot," she said. "As a business owner, this is gonna affect us."

PHOTOS: Celebrations turn rowdy after Giants win World Serie

Violence left four people injured in separate incidents, but it was not yet known if the shootings and stabbings were linked to World Series revelry, police said. Authorities said a 54-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were stabbed in separate incidents in the city's Mission District late Wednesday and early Thursday, respectively. Both were expected to live. A 19-year-old man was shot in the arm in the same neighborhood Wednesday, and another person walked into a hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, police said. No arrests had yet been made.

Most of the mayhem was fans spraying beer, smashing bottles in the streets, lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks.

Three police officers went to a hospital with minor injuries. Many more, including Suhr, were hit with bottles but were not badly injured and kept working.

A majority of the 40 arrests were for public drunkenness, but the police chief says people also went to jail for assaults, gun possession and outstanding warrants. Not exactly the picture you want the world to see after the Giants victory.

"To say it's beyond uncool, it's beyond uncool," Suhr said.

Even so, the chief says what happened last night was better than the raucous celebrating after the Giants' win two years ago

"For me, I would say we did far better (than in 2012) in the way of damage to property and fires," Suhr said.

Police said a noon parade down Market Street is planned for Friday, with up to 2 million people expected to come out and watch the floats and see the players. ABC7 News will carry the parade and rally on-air and online beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday.

For full coverage of the San Francisco Giants' World Series win, click here.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.