The family of a 32-year-old woman who was fatally shot while watching her children play in front of her home in San Francisco’s Bayview District in January is urging anyone with information to reach out to police.
On January 27, San Francisco resident Maria Soza was shot and killed near the intersection of Revere Avenue and Ingalls Street, police said.
The victim’s 14-year-old daughter and the victim’s father, both choking back tears, spoke today about how much Soza meant to them and how they hoped the public would help them find the suspects.
The day of Soza’s death, a ShotSpotter gunshot detection system alert was activated at the intersection at 4:15 p.m., San Francisco police Officer Grace Gatpandan said.
Moments later, police received a 911 call reporting that a female had been shot there.
Gatpandan said witnesses reported that Soza’s children saw their mother get struck with gunfire.
Investigators believe Soza was likely running to protect her children as gunshots were fired in a nearby drive-by shooting.
Officers found Soza suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the sidewalk near the intersection, Gatpandan said.
The officers performed CPR on Soza and she was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where she died of her injuries, according to Gatpandan.
Less than 10 minutes later, at 4:24 p.m., two shooting victims were reported in the 200 block of Bayshore Boulevard.
According to an employee at The Old Clam House restaurant, located on that same block, the female victim drove the male victim to the restaurant and then came into the restaurant to get help.
The employee, who declined to be named, said she called 911 and emergency crews responded to the restaurant.
The male victim, identified as 38-year-old San Francisco resident Donte Glenn, was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said.
The 44-year-old female victim also suffered gunshot wounds, but survived.
Police said the two crime scenes are possibly related but that a motive has not been determined.
San Francisco police spokesman Carlos Manfredi said today that it’s important that anyone with even a little bit of information regarding the homicide, the suspects, or the suspect vehicle reach out to police, as it could lead investigators to the suspects.
Police have also collected footage from surveillance cameras in the area of the homicide and have posted it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/OnUNvYaENkA.
Based on the investigation thus far, San Francisco police believe the primary persons of interest in the double homicide were inside a black truck shown in the video, likely a Dodge Ram, according to police.
Manfredi said finding the suspects would give the family closure on Soza’s death.
Anyone who recognizes the truck in the video or who has information regarding this case is urged to contact lead investigator Sergeant Chris Canning by phone at (415) 734-3634 or by email at chris.canning@sfgov.org, or contact the Anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text-a-tip to TIP411 with “SFPD” at the beginning of the message.
Hannah Albarazi, Bay City News
