Police fatally shoot driver who crashed into Chinese Consulate in San Francisco, officers say
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The suspect shot by police after they rammed into the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco has died, authorities said Monday evening.
Police say a man drove through the front of the building, then began feuding with guards inside.
The Chief Medical Examiner has identified the suspect as a 31-year-old man from San Francisco.
VIDEO: Heavy police presence after car crashes into Chinese Consulate in SF
We're now hearing witness descriptions.
Cellphone video shows the moments that people inside the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco ran to get outside after a man drove right through the front of the building, then began arguing with security guards, according to police.
"The man came out of the car, he was like bleeding, long hair, Asian look and he was saying something one thing I hear clearly was, 'Where's the f*****g CCP?' That's what he said," said a man by the name of Sergii who was waiting for a Visa.
CCP is short for Chinese Communist Party.
Audrey Sun took this video moments prior to everyone escaping and as security guards were trying to deescalate the situation.
"We heard someone say they saw a gun in the car so then once we heard gun we were like, okay we got to get out of the building because there's no exit behind us at all," said Sun.
"Then this man turned to his car and tried to get something from his car and in this moment the security guard kind of run to him and were able to hold him somewhat and at this moment people started to run," said Sergii.
Audrey says it was the work of those security guards that distracted the man and allowed them to get out.
"I really was grateful because when I looked back at the video, I could hear him say 'don't hurt them, you don't want to hurt them' or something like that," said Sun.
"He clearly tried to get something from his car because I could hear the security guard say 'do not take it out, do not take it out.' I do not know what that it meant but that's when the confrontation happened," said Sergii.
Everyone was able to get out and as they did, police arrived. Detectives haven't said what happened after that but officers shot the man a short time later. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. As to who specifically he may have been looking for, police won't say.
The San Francisco consulate has been targeted a number of times before. Among the most serious was a fire set by a Chinese man on New Year's Day 2014 at the main entrance. It charred a section of the outside of the building.
The man, who was living in the San Francisco Bay Area, told authorities he was driven by voices he was hearing. He was sentenced to nearly three years in prison.
Monday's incident comes as San Francisco prepares to host next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, a gathering of world leaders from Pacific Rim nations. President Joe Biden plans to attend but it's not clear if Chinese President Xi Jinping will come.
The SFPD and officials from the U.S. State Department are working with the Chinese Consulate on the incident.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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