'Never Bring a Knife to a Gunfight': Alleged Blade-Wielding Homeless Man Shot Dead By SFPD

A homeless man yesterday ran from San Francisco police citing him for panhandling and then allegedly whipped out a kitchen knife when cornered. This one ended the way you'd think it would:

When the officer tried to detain the man, he ran east on Greenwich, SFPD SPokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina said.

The officer called for backup. At Greenwich and Polk Street, the officer and two colleagues who had pulled up in a marked squad car approached the panhandler, who turned toward them with a knife, Mannina said.

The officers repeatedly ordered the man to drop the weapon, which they described as a kitchen knife with an 8-inch blade, Mannina said.

The man lunged with the knife, prompting one of the officers to open fire, Mannina said. ... The man died at 6:25 p.m. Sunday at San Francisco General Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office. His name was not released pending notification of his family.

— Joe Eskenazi