Five killed in San Francisco Sunday

By Bren tBegin, Bay City News Service

August 28, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Five people died in San Francisco Sunday as a result of three apparently unrelated shootings.

The latest incident, a double murder that ended in an officer-involved shootout, occurred in the Bayview neighborhood around 10:10 p.m., on Flora Street between Thornton Avenue and Bay View Street.

Officers drove to the area just after a man executed a couple while they sat in their car, according to police Sgt. Neville Gittens.

Valerie Henderson, 50, of San Francisco, and an unidentified man died on the spot and their car began to roll down the street. The car then crashed into another parked vehicle where 34-year-old Safalo Brown was waiting, Gittens said.

According to police, Brown was in the vehicle when the gunman, identified as 33-year-old San Francisco resident Charles Breed, killed the two victims. After the crash, Breed went over to help Brown out of the vehicle and into his wheelchair just as police arrived.

Police said as Brown was fleeing in his wheelchair, Breed opened fire on the arriving officers and a gun battle ensued. No officers were injured as bullets riddled the side of a patrol car, but Breed was struck and died at the scene.

Brown was taken into custody a short time later.

Police believe Brown had several ties with Breed and was directly involved in the murder.

He now faces two counts of felony murder and one count of conspiracy.

Investigators already busy with two homicides earlier in the day are working on a motive for the double killing.

The first murder Sunday took place just after 2:30 a.m. on San Bruno Avenue and Burrows Street in the Silver Terrace neighborhood.

According to police Sgt. Steve Mannina, two people, a man and a teenage boy were just leaving a friend's house in their car when a small red car blocked them from the front.

A suspect got out of the car and opened fire on the two, killing 21-year-old San Francisco resident Robert Stanford and injuring the unidentified juvenile.

Police are still investigating the homicide, as well as a fatal shooting that occurred only a few hours later in the 700 block of Missouri Street in Potrero Hill.

Mannina said the victim, Maurice Love, an 18-year-old Oakland resident, was working on a car when a red Dodge pickup truck pulled up. A suspect got out of the vehicle and fired on Love, who was later pronounced dead.

Police are working to pull together suspect information on these homicides. Anyone with information is urged to call the San Francisco anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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