A German tourist was killed late Sunday when she was caught in the crossfire between two teen rival factions in one of San Francisco’s main tourism hubs.
Mechthild Schroeer, 50, of Minden, Germany. was fatally shot while walking with her husband about 9 p.m. near the popular Union Square area, police said.
Schroeer was an unintended victim who was caught in an altercation outside between two groups of mostly teenagers that began inside a party, Assistant Chief Jeff Godown said.
Schroeer’s husband, Stefan, who was standing beside her, was unharmed. The couple were apparently headed back to their hotel. A weapon was recovered as three adults and two juveniles were later taken into custody for questioning, Godown said. Investigators are looking into whether it was gang-related.
“On behalf of our entire city, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mechthild Schroeer, who died needlessly from this senseless violence,” Mayor Gavin Newsom said in a statement Monday. Two other people also shot with Schroeer suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and were treated and released from a hospital.
Police Chief George Gascon said Monday the “run and gun battle” comes as violent crime is down 11 percent from last year. “No level of violence is acceptable,” Gascon said. “This is a very safe city and this is not the norm.” Eberhard Brockmann, German deputy consul general in San Francisco,
said Monday that Schroeer arrived with her husband to the U.S. in mid-July and they were planning to leave San Francisco on Tuesday for St. Louis, then leaving for Chicago later this month. Their two teenage sons remained in Germany, Brockmann said. Schroeer was named rector of her elementary school in Germany in February, he said.
“It’s terribly sad,” Brockmann said. The shooting happened downstairs from where the San Francisco Comedy College and Clubhouse is located. Its owner, Curtis Matthews, said Monday he rented his space to a promoter he has previously worked with for an end-of-summer bash for teens 13 to 17.
Matthews said about 200 young people — twice as many as expected — attended the party. He also said there were about five to six security guards on hand and no food or alcohol were served. The kids were having a good time but a couple of them ruined the fun for everyone, said Matthews, who stopped by before the shooting. “It’s an absolute tragedy. I’m in the middle of this, and, it doesn’t feel good.”
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