potrero view

September 2009

Letter to the Editor

Editor,


I was very surprised to see that a significant shooting, and potential homicide, was missing from the “Police Blotter” in the View’s August issue. This shooting occurred around 6:45 to 7 p.m., if memory serves, on Friday, July 10th. It transpired in front of the Potrero Hill Recreation Center, with many rapid rounds of shots being fired. Two of the residential buildings across the street from the center were struck with multiple bullets.  One of the bullets pierced the redwood siding and interior wall, and entered a front-facing bedroom; luckily no one was inside. One person was found seriously wounded, apparently where he collapsed, somewhere near the intersection of Wisconsin and Madera streets, a block away from the center.

The entire intersection in front of the center – which is located at Arkansas and Madera streets – and the two residential buildings were closed off with yellow police tape. The word from the police was that the wounded person was taken to San Francisco General Hospital in serious condition with trouble breathing.  Gang activity is suspected in this incident.

I know the View gets its information directly from the police blotter, so I find it extremely disturbing that this very serious incident, at a public location – where many Hill residents walks their dogs – is un-listed. What kind of semi-automatic fire power and ammunition was being used that would pierce redwood siding and interior walls to threaten residents?  It’s extremely disconcerting that such serious crimes on the Hill are going unreported/unlisted/undisclosed in official records. This is a disservice to Hill residents, as it puts everyone at increased risk, and undermines our efforts to draw the City’s attention to the rise in serious crimes in this area.


Chris Duncan

Arkansas Street


The Police Blotter is by no means a comprehensive accounting of all of the crimes that take place in the neighborhood; it’s more akin to a robust summary.  There is no real-time, publicly accessible database that provides this information.  Perhaps San Francisco’s new police chief can bring the City’s crime tracking infrastructure into the modern age, enabling citizens and journalists to fully identify the crimes committed in our communities. - Editor

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