Within 72 Hours, Richmond District Witnesses 5 Shootings, Armed Robbery, Car Driven Into Cafe, More

Within 72 Hours, Richmond District Witnesses 5 Shootings, Armed Robbery, Car Driven Into Cafe, MoreA car drove into My Favorite Cafe on Clement Street on Tuesday afternoon. | Photo: Nicole Crittenden/Twitter
Nikki Collister
Published on March 01, 2017

Within just three days, there's been an abnormal number of crimes and bizarre incidents in the Richmond District, including a string of shootings targeting local businesses, an armed robbery, and a car that ended up halfway inside a Clement Street cafe.

Businesses shot along Geary Boulevard

In a weekly report published on Tuesday, SFPD's Richmond Station reported that five businesses on Geary Boulevard were targeted in a string of shooting incidents over the weekend, with at least three of the shootings taking place on Sunday evening.

Among the affected businesses were Star India Restaurant (3721 Geary Blvd.) and Assab Eritrean Restaurant (2845 Geary Blvd.), both of which had customers dining inside at 7pm, when the shots were fired. A massage parlor, bank, and psychic store were also targeted. 

According to police, “witnesses reported hearing the sound of glass breaking, and what appeared to be bullet-type holes were found in the front glass windows of the businesses.” Thankfully, no one was injured.

Investigators say the shootings are potentially related, but little else is known at this point: “It is currently undetermined whether the damage was caused by a firearm, a BB gun, or another type of projectile.” As of Wednesday morning, the suspect(s) are still at large.

Outer Richmond sees second armed drugstore robbery in two weeks

On Monday morning, an armed robber raided the pharmacy of a drugstore on the first block of Point Lobos Avenue. (Although police did not specify the name of the drugstore, it was likely the Walgreens at 25 Point Lobos Ave.)

As reported by SFist, a man in his 20s entered the store and approached a pharmacy employee. The suspect then produced a handgun, and “went around to the other side of the counter and demanded medication.” The store employee complied, and the suspect put the drugs into his backpack and fled on foot in an unknown direction.

The incident is particularly notable because of its similarity to a robbery that took place at the CVS on 32nd Avenue exactly two weeks earlier, in which a suspect, also armed with a handgun, proceeded to the drugstore's pharmacy and "demanded medication."

The suspects in both armed robbery cases remain at large.

Car plows into cafe on Clement Street

On Tuesday afternoon, a vehicle plowed into the front window of My Favorite Cafe (2110 Clement St.) The car, a black sedan, managed to get halfway through the front door before coming to a halt. The Richmond District Blog first reported the incident later that afternoon.

According to police, no injuries were reported, and the driver remained at the scene. Police did not disclose how or why the driver lost control of the vehicle.

Anyone with information on any of these cases is encouraged to contact SFPD's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with 'SFPD'.

Update: 3/2, 7:40pm: The SFPD has released a list of the affected businesses in last weekend's shooting spree. The three previously unnamed businesses are listed as: Heaven Health Center (4411 Geary Blvd.), US Bank (3550 Geary Blvd.) and Psychic Shop (3127 Geary Blvd.). The full content of the statement can be found on the Richmond District Blog.