Community Police Officer Shot At Suspects

Police said one person is dead and four critically injured after a shooting outside a nightclub near San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf Sunday morning.

The shooting around 1:40 a.m. Sunday took place outside the Suede Nightclub and Lounge on Bay Street, according to a police spokesman. The two-story nightclub is about three blocks from the wharf and near a number of hotels popular with tourists.

The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office identified the person killed in the shooting as 19-year-old Lawon Hall, of nearby Richmond. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting started after an altercation inside the nightclub spilled onto the street, escalating into gunshots, according to San Francisco Police Sgt. Wilfred Williams.

An armed patrol special police officer came upon the scene and opened fire, hitting a suspect, said Williams, who was not sure how many shots were exchanged. The suspect, who had not been named by police Sunday, was in custody at San Francisco General Hospital, and police said they were looking for a second suspect.

Patrol special police are community police officers who are chartered separately from the San Francisco Police Department but operate under its supervision

A spokeswoman for San Francisco General Hospital said they are treating four male victims of the shooting. All are in critical condition. The hospital has not released any additional details.

The Suede Nightclub was described by nearby residents as a popular spot where people often wait in lines stretching down the street to get inside.

A message left on a recording machine at the club seeking comment was not immediately returned.