San Francisco — On Friday night, the Mission District in San Francisco experienced another tragic incident of mass shooting. During a neighborhood block party, nine individuals were shot on a sidewalk.
Fortunately, the police stated that all of them are expected to survive. However, as dawn broke, residents couldn’t help but wonder about the potential changes occurring in their neighborhood and the city as a whole.
Around 9 p.m. on Friday, the intersection of 24th and Treat Streets in the Mission District was illuminated by the flashing red and blue lights of police vehicles.
Officer Eve Laokwansanthitaya, the spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), confirmed the occurrence of the shooting, stating, “It’s confirmed that there are nine victims that were struck by gunfire and they are all expected to survive.”
According to the police, it appears that some attendees of a street party outside a business called Dying Breed were specifically targeted, possibly by a lone gunman. The victims consisted of men aged between 22 and 35, along with a 19-year-old woman. Santiago Lerma, an aide to San Francisco supervisor Hillary Ronen, happened to be in the area and reported that the shooting might have stemmed from a previous argument during the city’s Carnaval celebration.
Lerma expressed deep concern, stating, “Very concerned, obviously, about the situation and it’s very scary. But this is an outlier. This is a very safe neighborhood, generally.”
Many residents hold a similar view of the area, considering it a relatively peaceful place. That’s why Zora Arum, a resident of the neighborhood, was taken aback by the number of people injured. She remarked, “I mean, I don’t think it is reflective of the neighborhood.
I think it’s the most beautiful community. People are so kind here. I’m not sure who did this or what happened exactly, but I don’t feel like it reflects the character of the neighborhood in any way.”
Mayor London Breed, on Friday, emphasized that the incident does not align with the overall character of the city. She acknowledged the gravity of the situation, saying, “Well, nine people, that’s a lot, of course.
And I think what we’re seeing in San Francisco, when we look at our data, a lot of the violent crime, we’ve seen the numbers decline considerably. So, this is heartbreaking and challenging, not just for the Mission community but for our city as a whole.”
However, Cynthia Carrillo, a resident of the neighborhood, isn’t focused on the data. She is witnessing firsthand the changing nature of her community, and it frightens her. Carrillo expressed her concerns, stating, “I feel like nothing’s getting better, nothing’s being done! They need to force something to be done because it’s not getting better.
It’s not. What’s happening to the whole of San Francisco? It was never like this, never like this. Something’s gotten out of control. I think it’s a lot of the way—the mentalities of these children growing up now. It’s changed completely, and they’ve got anger inside them, hatred inside them.”
Certainly, it is challenging to obtain precise data on anger and hate, which is why incidents like this can arise at any time or in any place. They can instantly alter the perception of a neighborhood, even for those who call it home every day.