Suspect identified in San Francisco officer-involved shooting

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco officers Friday morning fatally shot a man suspected of carjacking a California State Lottery van in the city's Potrero Hill neighborhood, a police spokesman said.

The San Francisco Medical Examiner's office has now identified the suspect as 42-year-old Keita O'Neil.

Around 10:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of a robbery and carjacking on the 1800 block of 23rd Street near Arkansas, according to San Francisco police spokesman Sgt. Michael Andraychak. The spokesman briefed reporters on the incident during a news conference Friday morning.


A suspect assaulted a Lottery employee and stole the white Lottery van, Andraychak said. The woman's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, and Lottery officials are sending a representative to look after her, he said.

Another vehicle, described as a gold or tan SUV, was at the crime scene and police believe it was also involved in the robbery, according to Andraychak.


The two vehicles drove down the street together then split up, Andraychak said.

One group of officers stopped the SUV in the vicinity of Gilman Avenue and Ingalls Street, according to Andraychak. The officers detained three or four persons in the SUV, Andraychak said.



Other officers pursued the Lottery van to the vicinity of Fitzgerald Avenue and Griffith Street, Andraychak said.

The suspect, O'Neil got out of the van "and an officer-involved shooting occurred," the spokesman said. At least one round was fired during the shooting. No officers were injured.


O'Neil was transported by ambulance to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center where he was pronounced dead, Andraychak said.

"This is an active and ongoing investigation in the early stages," the spokesman said. The spokesman acknowledged that a window of one police car was shattered, though he did not have any additional details.


Body-worn cameras from the officers involved in the incident have been retrieved, "and we are canvassing the area for other video that may be available," Andraychak said.

The Police Department's homicide detail, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, the San Francisco Police Internal Affairs Division, the Department of Police Accountability and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are investigating the shooting, Andraychak said.

The investigations are in accordance with the department's policy on officer-involved shootings.

The spokesman said that also in accordance with the department's policy, a town hall meeting will be held within 10 days of the shooting to provide the community with an update of the investigation.




Bay City News contributed to this article.