A man suspected of shooting another man 17 times in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood in August during a dispute that may have been over a woman returned to court today on murder charges.
Grady Darrell Sandling, 19, of Oakland, is suspected in the Aug. 19 fatal shooting of 26-year-old Steven Garrett Jr., of San Francisco.
Police arrested Sandling in Oakland on Nov. 10.
Police and prosecutors said the shooting happened at about 12:20 a.m. after Garrett, who was unarmed, argued with three men near Jones and O’Farrell streets.
Garrett punched one of the men in the face and the man shot him, police said at the time. The three suspects then fled on foot.
A semiautomatic TEC-9 firearm believed used in the shooting was recovered from a mailbox in the 500 block of O’Farrell Street.
Prosecutors said Garrett and Sandling were believed to have been dating the same woman at the same time.
Arraignment and plea entry was postponed this morning for a second time this week as attorneys with the public defender’s office looked into whether the office has a conflict in the case.
The murder charge carries an enhancement for the use of a firearm that could bring a sentence of 50 years to life in prison.
Sandling remains in custody without bail and is due back in court on Monday.
Ari Burack, Bay City News
Want more news, sent to your inbox every day? Then how about subscribing to our email newsletter? Here’s why we think you should. Come on, give it a try.
