Two San Francisco police officers were injured after a vehicle struck them and the suspect in Nob Hill.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A theft suspect died and two San Francisco police officers were injured Friday morning after a foot pursuit from a Nob Hill Trader Joe’s ended with all three being struck by a vehicle, police said.
The collision turned a reported shoplifting case into a fatal police incident in one of San Francisco’s busiest hilltop corridors. Police said the suspect resisted officers and ran into California Street, where the officers followed. The driver stayed at the scene and is cooperating. The suspect’s name had not been released, and the case remained under investigation.
San Francisco police said officers responded at about 7:36 a.m. June 12 to the Trader Joe’s at California and Hyde streets after a report of theft. Officers tried to detain the suspect, but police said he resisted and fled on foot. Two officers chased him into the street. During the pursuit, police said, the suspect and both officers were struck by a vehicle. One officer became pinned beneath the vehicle before firefighters removed the officer and paramedics treated the injured. The suspect was taken to a hospital and died despite life-saving efforts. Both officers were treated for injuries police described as not life-threatening.
Trader Joe’s later confirmed the man who died had been a former crew member. The company said in a statement that the store had been part of the neighborhood for nearly 14 years and that it felt compassion for everyone involved. Police have not said what item or items were allegedly taken. Mission Local reported, citing an employee who was not authorized to speak publicly, that the man had entered the store before it opened and went toward the wine section. Police have not publicly confirmed that account. Authorities also had not released the driver’s name, the vehicle speed, or whether any citation or charge was being considered.
The crash happened along California Street, a steep east-west route used by drivers, buses, cable cars and pedestrians moving between Nob Hill, the Tenderloin and downtown. The Trader Joe’s sits at California and Hyde streets, near apartment buildings, hotels and transit lines. A witness photo published by Mission Local showed one officer beneath the front of a black Lexus as other officers gathered nearby. ABC7 reported that video from after the crash showed one officer pinned and another officer lying nearby. Witness Dennis Roybal told the station he heard yelling, several impacts and screeching tires before looking outside and seeing the aftermath.
The San Francisco Police Department said the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. The department listed the case as open and active under case number 260-333-192. Police did not announce an arrest in the collision as of the department’s latest public statement. Investigators are expected to review witness accounts, surveillance video, dispatch records, officer reports and the actions leading up to the crash. The department’s foot pursuit policy also drew attention because officers followed the suspect into an active street during a theft detention, though police had not said whether any policy violation occurred.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association said both officers suffered leg injuries. Union President Louis Wong said the case showed the risks officers face during routine calls. Mayor Daniel Lurie also responded publicly, thanking first responders and wishing the officers a full recovery. The fatal incident came less than two weeks after another San Francisco officer was critically wounded in a separate Bayview confrontation after a pursuit and shootout, adding to public focus on officer safety, pursuit decisions and the hazards of fast-moving street encounters.
By Monday, one officer had been released from the hospital while another continued receiving care, according to local reports. Police had not identified the suspect, the officers or the driver. The next public milestone is expected to come when investigators release more information on the collision, the reported theft and any findings tied to the pursuit.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.