The San Francisco Police Department apologized on Thursday as they released a video of the moment an officer shot a car burglary suspect and admitting it was a mistake.
“The shooting of Mr. Pittman should not have happened, and I want to say to Mr. Pittman I'm deeply sorry,” said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott. Scott apologized on Thursday after an undercover officer shot a car burglary suspect last Friday.
At a virtual town hall, SFPD said their officers began tracking a silver Mitsubishi after witnesses called 911 reporting the people inside were breaking into cars in several locations.
SFPD officials released a surveillance video of the car pulling into Vareney Place. As people pulled items out of the trunk.
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In the video, some officers wearing plain clothes were seen move in with guns drawn. Police say officer Zackery McAuliffe’s gun went off, shooting 23-year-old Xavier Pittman in the wrist.
“He did not intend for his gun to go off and he sincerely apologies to Mr. Pittman,” said Scott.
Pittman’s attorney Adante Pointer told NBC Bay Area for the San Francisco police to admit their own mistake is a welcome honesty. He's hoping he won't need to take legal action to get his client compensation.
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“Instead, they offer an olive branch and we can work through how to make sure Mr. Pittman recovers from this fully,” he said.
While the shooting remains under investigation, Scott said he has told plain clothes units to continue working but no longer undercover until training and protocols are reviewed.
