Man Killed by San Francisco Police Opened Fire 1st, Authorities Say

The San Francisco police officer who fatally shot a man near Civic Center last week was acting in self-defense after the man fired at him, department officials said Wednesday.

Security camera video of the July 21 shooting, obtained by the San Francisco Standard, showed an officer firing at the man as he ran away down an alley, initially raising questions about the use of deadly force.

During a virtual town hall on Wednesday, acting Commander Mark Im said Officer Paul Balza shot and killed Alexander Antonio Lopez, 28, after responding to a report of an armed robbery. Around midnight, Balza and his partner officer found an armed man near Willow Street and Van Ness Avenue whose black and red scooter matched the description of a suspect in an armed robbery that took place earlier that night.

After Lopez dropped his scooter in front of the driver’s side door of the police vehicle and began running west on Willow Street, Balza got out of the car and commanded Lopez to stop two times, Im said. Balza began running after Lopez, who, according to Im, raised a firearm in his left hand and fired at Balza. He then raised his firearm again, Im said.

Balza stopped running and returned fire, Im said, then Lopez fell to the ground and Balza, joined by the second officer in the patrol car, huddled behind a parked car and ordered Lopez to put his hands out and drop his weapon.

Im said multiple officers from the Tenderloin Station arrived on the scene to take Lopez into custody and render aid. Lopez was later transferred to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Evidence collected at the scene, including a firearm and scooter, matched the description of those in possession of the suspect in the armed robbery case, Im said. The robbery was reported around 11:25 p.m. near Leavenworth Street in the Tenderloin.

The shooting is currently under investigation by various agencies, including the district attorney’s office, the chief medical examiner’s office and the Department of Police Accountability. There has been at least one other shooting by San Francisco police so far this year. Last year, there were five shootings by SFPD, according to the department, and in 2022, there were four.