Fleeing Trader Joe's theft suspect killed, SFPD officers pinned by car

SAN FRANCISCO - A man trying to steal items from Trader Joe's in San Francisco on Friday morning was killed by the driver of a car as he was running away from two police officers, who also were struck and injured in the same accident, police said.

‘Chaotic scene’

What they're saying:

"It was a very chaotic scene," Public Information Officer Robert Rueca told reporters outside the Trader Joe’s at California and Hyde streets in Nob Hill. 

KTVU obtained photos showing one officer pinned underneath a Lexus and the other officer lying on the street next to the car. 

At an impromptu news conference, Rueca said that the police officers were called out about 7:40 a.m. to the grocery store on a report of a theft. He said he wasn't sure what was taken, police hadn't gotten that far in the investigation yet. Trader Joe's opens at 8 a.m. 

Running away

The suspect – described only as an adult male – did not comply with police, Rueca said, and he began to run away on foot.

Police officers jumped on top of him, and Louis Wong, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association union, sent out a statement describing this alternation as a "violent struggle." 

The police officers pursued him into the street, Rueca said, and all three were struck by the driver of an oncoming car, unrelated to the situation at Trader Joe's. Video at the scene showed it was a dark gray Lexus. 

Both officers were pinned beneath the oncoming car, Wong said. 

All three were taken to the hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead, police said. 

Both officers sustained leg injuries and are expected to recover, Wong said.  

Rueca said the Lexus driver has been cooperating with police.

Officer pinned

Dig deeper:

Authorities were in the area at the same time investigating an arson, Rueca said.

According to the fire department, there was a Tesla on fire in the same Trader Joe's parking lot at 6:30 a.m., which turned out to be an accident.

The fire department said crews were able to extinguish the flames in under ten minutes. The Tesla was returned to its owner, the fire department said.

A white Tesla with foam on it was seen in the parking lot of the crime scene later in the morning. 

Images at the scene showed multiple police officers, including some from the burglary unit looking for evidence, alongside a cable car, which was prevented from leaving the area because of the evidence being collected in front of it on the street. 

The suspect has not yet been identified.