A car forcefully crashed into the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco on Monday, resulting in a chaotic scene that concluded with the police fatally shooting the driver, according to authorities.
San Francisco law enforcement officials indicated they were unaware of the motive behind the actions of the unidentified driver who plowed through the front of the consulate, located on a prominent street opposite the city’s Japantown district.
The Chinese Consulate General characterized the incident as a “violent attack” in an official statement.
Shortly after 3 p.m., police swiftly responded to the consulate following reports of a vehicle colliding with the building, urging people to steer clear of the vicinity. Footage from the scene depicted a blue Honda sedan situated within the lobby of the consulate’s visa office.
Officers entered the building, engaged with the suspect, and ultimately resorted to using firearms, as explained by San Francisco Police Sergeant Kathryn Winters during a brief press briefing. Despite efforts to save the suspect’s life, they succumbed to their injuries at a hospital.
Specific details regarding the unfolding of the shooting, the number of officers involved, and whether the driver possessed a weapon have not been disclosed. Furthermore, there have been no reports of injuries among individuals inside the building.
Local law enforcement is currently collaborating with investigators from the U.S. State Department and the Chinese Consulate on the case. Sergeant Winters acknowledged the complexity of the investigation, stating, “I wish I could give you more, but this is a very complex investigation.”
A statement released by the Chinese Consulate General has demanded a comprehensive account of the incident and called for it to be addressed with due seriousness under the law. The statement expressed strong condemnation of the violent attack.
The San Francisco consulate has been the target of previous incidents, with one of the most serious being an arson attack on New Year’s Day in 2014, when a Chinese man set fire to the main entrance, resulting in charring on the exterior of the building.
The individual, who resided in the San Francisco Bay Area, claimed he was influenced by voices he heard and was subsequently sentenced to nearly three years in prison.
This incident occurred as San Francisco readies itself to host the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month, which will bring together world leaders from Pacific Rim nations. While President Joe Biden plans to attend, it remains uncertain whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will participate.
