Officer expected to survive Castro Halloween shooting, suspect in grave condition

A San Francisco police officer and a suspect are both in critical condition after a shooting in the city's Castro neighborhood just after midnight on Halloween.

SFPD said the suspect shot at two officers who were responding to a call regarding a suspicious car near 18th and Diamond Streets.

The suspect's gun, the officer's hat and uniform laid in the street for 16 hours as police conducted their investigation.

The shooting that happened two blocks away from the city's bustling Castro Street Halloween celebrations.

"It sounded like maybe fireworks at first I thought, but then I realized it was gunfire," said Pete Howells, who lives around the corner from the crime scene where officers blocked off Diamond between Market St and 18th until 4:45 p.m.

"There was about 10 shots and then and then uh it was quiet and then 10 more shots," said Howells.

A man named Jason Ford took a cell phone video recording during the shooting, which didn't show the shooting but captured the sound of six gunshots.

Police say a 41-year-old officer who typically works in the Crime Scene Investigations unit had been called to investigate a suspicious vehicle, along with his partner.

The car was a gray Chrysler sedan which later turned out to have been reported stolen.

"They approached the suspicious car- fired back each exchanged gunfire," said Sgt Mike Andraychek, with SFPD. 

The officer, a nine-year-veteran of the department was shot in the wrist and stomach and underwent surgery.

The suspect, was also shot, critically injured. 

"Kinda scary this is a relatively safe neighborhood," said neighbor, Doug Rayner

Sources tell KTVU that there were three other people in the Chrysler, two women and a man who ran off after shots rang out, flagging down a nearby cab driver, then carjacking his taxi.

"They hailed a taxi and then they held [the cab driver] at gunpoint," said a woman who did not want to be identified. She said the trio drove to her home on Oakwood street, six blocks from the shooting.

"They pulled up, dropped the car here...hopped our fence and got into our neighbor's property," she explained. "[The suspects] tore the [cab's dashboard] camera off and then they ditched the camera somewhere, so the camera is what the cops were looking for."

Police towed the cab and are combing it for evidence.

The suspect is said to be in grave condidtion, while the officer will have to undergo more surgery at a later date.