Deadly police shooting in South San Francisco over tree trimming dispute, neighbors say

Deadly South San Francisco police shooting of man followed neighbor dispute over leaves

Two South San Francisco police officers shot and killed an armed 60-year-old man embroiled in a dispute with his next-door neighbor over leaves on his property, KTVU has learned.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - A deadly police shootout in South San Francisco may have stemmed from an ongoing dispute over tree trimming, according to neighbors.

Suspect opened fire first, police say

What we know:

When officers arrived at about 5:50 p.m. Monday in the 300 block of Arroyo Drive, a 60-year-old man armed with a handgun, shotgun, and rifle began firing at them, the South San Francisco Police Department said in a statement.

In a Tuesday evening news release, the department said the suspect "fired at officers from different locations within the driveway while seeking cover and concealment using both vehicles in the driveway and landscaping."

Some bullets struck nearby homes and the rear of patrol cars. 

Officers returned fire, killing the suspect, police said.

He has not yet been identified.

Officers said a resident inside a home that the suspect was shooting sustained a non-life-threatening injury. They were taken to a local hospital. 

San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies also responded to the scene.

No officers were injured,

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Residents and people who were in the area described the scene.

"You just heard two different shots, one louder than the other, so it seemed like they were exchanging fire," said Victor Rangel of Half Moon Bay, who was in the area at the time.

"At first, I heard five loud ‘boom, boom, boom, boom,’ and I just thought it was my neighbor doing some construction next door," said Daniel Finnegan, who lives on Arroyo Drive. "But then I come outside, and I see all the cop cars, and next thing you know, everybody’s got their guns out, and a cop comes running down the street and says, ‘Everybody get into your house and shelter in place.’"

Tree dispute between neighbors

What they're saying:

Residents said the violence may have stemmed from an argument between neighbors over tree leaves. 

According to neighbor Daniel Finnegan, the 60-year-old suspect had an ongoing beef with his next-door neighbor over leaves on his property. A law enforcement source confirmed that detail.

"Shrubs or bushes going into the next person's yard, that kind of petty stuff doesn't need to happen," said Finnegan. "Never seen anything like that. Born and raised 26 years here."

For weeks, the suspect had been fuming because his neighbor's gardner had apparently trimmed a large tree in between their homes and left leaves on his side of the fence. Tensions boiled over on Monday, setting off a deadly chain of events.

The next-door neighbor told KTVU that he was trying to recover from the trauma of the ordeal, but was grateful he was not harmed.