SF community leaders praise those who helped victims after Mission District mass shooting

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's been two and a half weeks since the mass shooting in San Francisco's Mission District. Nine people were shot and a suspect was arrested in the case last week. Thankfully no one was killed.

Tuesday night, those in the Mission District came together to unite against violence at 24th and Mission. They also thanked those in the community who acted heroically after the shots were fired.

Healing together and uniting just five blocks from where gunfire erupted in a mass shooting that left nine people injured.

"We had a young man who had experienced a lot of trauma in his life with access to a firearm and engaging in social media conflict, and then acted out," said Santiago Lerma.

RELATED: Suspect arrested in connection to SF Mission District mass shooting, police say

Lerma helped organize Tuesday's gathering. He's San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen's legislative aid and is referring to the suspect who was arrested last week. Lerma lives a block away from where the shooting happened.

"We have not seen this kind of violence in many years," said Lerma.

"That was really sad, it was really sad," said Travis Lewis who lives nearby.

Organizers here, who described this dancing to us as a form of Native American spiritual cleansing and purifying, say many in the community stepped up in the moments after those nine people were shot.

RELATED: Residents react as SFPD investigation continues into Mission District shooting that injured 9

"The Mission community, we have a saying that whenever there is a fire we run to it and our young people did that, and when they saw the people were hurt and scared they all banded together provided first aid and took care of each other," said Susana Rojas of Mission Peace Collaborative.

"I'm very happy that the youth that were on the scene helped the victims immediately before the responders got there. They stopped the bleed, put belts around the wounds," said Lerma.

Now a hope from those here, for peace and healing.

"The government has failed to do anything to help people heal since COVID and there's a big demand for mental health services," said Roberto Hernandez of Mission Peace Collaborative.

"We are stronger than any act of violence, we are stronger than any pandemic, and we are stronger than anything that may come," said Rojas.

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