Gunfire erupts on Halloween in the Castro; officer and suspect taken to hospital

SAN FRANCISCO (Alex Savidge/KTVU) - Gunfire erupted in the Castro District of San Francisco just after midnight on Halloween sending one officer and one suspect to the hospital, both with gunshot wounds, though a supervisor tweeted that the violence had nothing to do with the ghoulish holiday.

Police Sgt. Michael Andraychak said police were called out at 12:03 a.m. Wednesday to 18th and Diamond Streets because someone had called about a suspicious-looking vehicle.

When police approached the vehicle, there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and at least one officer - a 41-year-old crime scene investigator, police said.

Neighbor Jason Ford was on  his porch when the gunfire erupted and shared some video. And neighbor Doug Rayner said he was surprised; the Castro is a "relatively safe neighborhood."

San Francisco Supervisor Jeff Sheehy tweeted that the "event [ is] unrelated to Halloween on Diamond St in the #Castro tonight."

Violence on Halloween in the Castro brings up memories of a decade ago.

In 2006, nine people were shot at what used to be an annual Castro Halloween bash. That led the city to crack down on those huge 250,000-person street parties, and a protest march in 2007, called the "Death of the Castro Halloween." 

The only official party this year was a small neighborhood block party on Sunday night with neon body painters. Still, most of the bars in the Castro were open on Tuesday, hosting the crowds, according to SF.Funcheap.com.

Mayor Ed Lee  issued a press release last year on the 10th anniversary of the shooting, reminding people that the streets would not be shut down in the Castro for what used to be a fun, wild and sometimes raucous affair. Hours before it got dark on Tuesday, the mayor sent a reminder about being safe. 

Many neighbors told KTVU that in the recent past, Halloween in the Castro has been very peaceful.