Video shows terrifying moments during San Francisco Embarcadero gun battle

By BETTY YU

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — Video obtained by CBS San Francisco revealed the frightening chaos near Pier 39 Sunday after a rolling gun battle erupted between two vehicles and continued along the Embarcadero.

A day after the violent incident that started in front of Pier 39, things appeared to be business as usual at the popular tourist destination.

24 hours earlier, visitors, workers and locals found themselves running for cover at the same location on a beautiful Father’s Day.

“We’re literally in San Francisco at the pier, and somebody started shooting. It sounded like an AR style gun, but everybody started running and screaming,” said one Central Valley tourist via Facebook live. “We were in Lids and we all ran upstairs and were hiding.”

The mother said she was “literally shaking” as she breathlessly talked about the scary experience while taking shelter with her family in a room at Pier 39 Sunday evening.

A few blocks away, dash cam video recorded the chaotic scene unfolding outside. The clip shows people on the pedestrian walkway and street below running to safety. Another person is seen ducking behind a parked car.

Pedicab driver Thomas Rudenko saw the gunfire.

“Basically a hand was just shooting at them, so then I just realized like, ‘Oh, that’s a drive by. That’s not firecrackers.’ So I hit the ground and then everyone else around here just started running and panicking. Like you saw everyone kind of run inside,” he said.

Meanwhile a black SUV and white sedan involved in the rolling gun battle could be seen racing through the intersection on the Embarcadero, and later through a group of bicyclists.

SFPD later said a 10-year-old girl was hospitalized for her injuries. Six people were hurt altogether, including two suspects from Pittsburg.

“I’ve been here 28 years, and this event across the street, it’s a little closer than anything that’s happened. But luckily it was the first and hopefully the last,” said COO of Simco Restaurants Bob Partrite.

Partrite operates several popular eateries at Pier 39, including Wipeout Bar & Grill and Fog Harbor Fish House.

On Juneteenth, we saw plenty of new visitors taking in all the sights and restaurants and shops bustling with activity.

So far, San Francisco police have not provided any details regarding a possible motive behind the shooting.

CBS San Francisco has heard from city leaders, who say while crimes like this are rare, they are concerning.

“People rightfully so feel unsafe because it is, it just should not happen, period, said San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio. “We need to do more to send a signal it is not acceptable in San Francisco, that we are going to vigorously arrest and prosecute anyone who is causing mayhem on our streets.”

There have been multiple shootings that rattled nerves in recent weeks in the city. Nine people were shot during a block party on the Mission District on June 9th. A suspect has since been arrested in that case. The night after that incident, a shooting at a nightclub in Balboa Park injured three more people.

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