Police today announced an arrest in the shooting death of a man killed during a bloody Fourth of July weekend in the city’s Bayview District.
Antonio Cortez, 37, was shot in front of a home just before 3 a.m. on July 6 in the 1700 block of La Salle Avenue. Another man, 49, was also hit by the gunfire.
Cortez died at San Francisco General Hospital, while the second victim has since recovered from serious injuries, according to police.
This morning police arrested Marckus Mendez, 20, of San Bruno, on suspicion of murder, three counts of attempted murder, being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition and a probation violation.
Police say Mendez is also connected with a second shooting that occurred earlier in the first block of Cameron Way. One victim in that shooting was found at the scene, while the second was taken to San Francisco General Hospital. Both victims are expected to survive.
Mendez was arrested in San Bruno and booked into San Francisco County Jail, according to police.
He is being held withoutbail, according to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.
There were four fatal shootings over the Independence Day weekend and more gun violence has occurred since in the Bayview-Hunters Point area of the city.
Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose district includes the Bayview, called for the creation of a citywide Gun Violence Task Force to curb the violence.
She said she would introduce the idea at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
She said professionals working in education, trauma, health, law enforcement and other fields would serve on the task force.
“I am immediately calling for a ceasefire in all of our neighborhoods and this all hands on deck meeting that will be convened in the community in the coming days,” she said in today’s statement.
She called the increase in violence in the past few months in her district and throughout the city “a public health crisis.”
There have been 23 homicides so far this year.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
