Four men found dead in car, gunman sought in San Francisco

Police were attempting to calm rattled nerves in San Francisco’s gentrifying Hayes Valley neighborhood Saturday after a gun battle on a neighborhood street left four men dead.

The victims were shot Friday night as they sat in a stolen car on a Victorian-lined street close to the trendy boutiques and upscale restaurants that have made the area increasingly popular with young professionals. The barrage of gunfire – one bullet lodged in the refrigerator of a residence and police at the scene found a bullet hole in a door – left residents shaken.

“Moved from Brooklyn to SF for this? As we all get up to check locks on windows and doors. SF Shooting #hayesvalley” tweeted Chris Surowiec shortly after calls began streaming in to police dispatchers.

Police have not revealed the victims’ names, nor have they identified suspects or a possible motive. Police Chief Greg Suhr told the San Francisco Chronicle that at least four guns were probably involved in the crime. Two were found inside the stolen car with the bodies of the victims. Suhr said the department’s gang task force and homicide units were working the case together and hoped to prevent possible retaliatory violence if the case involved gang rivals.

“We need to figure out why this happened. If we can discover that, then we will know if there is another shoe that is going to fall,” Suhr said. “We need to be out in front of that.”

The shooting began about 10 p.m. in the 200 block of Page Street. Residents heard about 15 gunshots, according to scanner traffic. Officers found the victims in a double-parked Honda that had been reported stolen.

A vehicle – described on police scanner traffic as “possibly a silver Scion”-- was seen speeding away from the shooting toward the freeway. However, police “are trying to verify make/model and to see if it’s related to the homicide,” a spokesman said in a statement.

Police sought to allay fears as neighbors on Saturday set up a memorial with a sign reading “4 People. Rest in Peace.”

“The SFPD would like the public to be aware as the investigation continues, the police department believes there is no threat to public safety in the neighborhood,” a police spokesman said. “Additional police resources have been assigned to the area to address any potential for further violence.”

Anyone with information to this homicide is asked to call (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 with SFPD at start of message.

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