Victim chased, robbed before gunned down in Tenderloin, DA says
San Francisco police officers at the scene of a fatal shooting on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.
SAN FRANCISCO - The suspect charged in the killing of a 29-year-old man in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood over the weekend had allegedly chased and robbed the victim of his phone before fatally shooting him, prosecutors said.
On Wednesday, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged Joe Walls, 28, with murder and second-degree robbery in the death of 29-year-old Semaj McClure.
On Saturday at around 10:21 a.m. officers responded to a shots fired call at the intersection of Leavenworth and Eddy streets where they found McClure on the ground with several gunshot wounds.
McClure was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Walls was found nearby in the 300 block of Turk Street and taken into custody.
Prosecutors said when Walls was arrested, officers found the victim's phone on him. Surveillance videos in the area show McClure running away from Walls who appears to be chasing him shortly before the killing.
"Joe Walls will be held accountable for the senseless murder and robbery of Mr. McClure in the Tenderloin," said Jenkins. "Horrific violence like this will not be tolerated in the Tenderloin or anywhere in San Francisco."
Officers located the suspect on the 300 block of Turk Street and detained him after the suspect physically resisted officers. Walls was arrested with the victim’s phone on his person. Multiple surveillance videos of the area show the victim running away from the defendant who appears to be chasing him shortly before the cold-blooded murder.
Walls remains in custody and faces more than 50 years to life.