California woman shot and killed on San Francisco waterfront
Police believe the attack was at random
A woman out for a stroll with her father Wednesday along the San Francisco waterfront was killed by a man in an apparent random shooting, police say.
The shooting occurred in the evening at Pier 14 – one of the busiest tourist destinations in the city and a place where people gather to take in the views, joggers exercise and families push strollers at all hours of the day and night.
Liz Sullivan told the San Francisco Chronicle that the killing of her daughter, Kathryn Steinle, was unbelievable and surreal.
"I don't think I've totally grasped it," Sullivan said.
Two TV crews reporting on the killing were later mugged at the scene with a masked gunman pistol-whipping a camera operator. The robber took cameras from KNTV and KTVU before he jumped into a black BMW and fled the scene.
Police said Thursday they arrested Francisco Sanchez in the shooting an hour after it occurred.
Police Sgt. Michael Andraychak said witnesses snapped photos of Sanchez immediately after the shooting and the images helped police make the arrested while he was walking on the sidewalk a few blocks away from the scene.
Police believe Sanchez is about 45 years old and from Texas. Andraychak said he’s on probation for an unspecified conviction. Police were still waiting on fingerprint identification on Sanchez.
Sullivan told the newspaper that her 32-year-old daughter turned to her father after she was shot and said she didn't feel well before collapsing.
"She just kept saying, 'Dad, help me, help me,'" Sullivan said.
Her father immediately began CPR before paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital.
"She fought for her life," Sullivan said.
Steinle went to high school and previously lived about 40 miles east of San Francisco, the newspaper said. She recently moved just blocks from the waterfront and worked for a medical technology company.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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