[10 AUG 2010] German tourist killed in San Francisco crossfire

Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO A German tourist was killed late Sunday when she was caught in the crossfire between two teen rival factions in one of San Francisco's main tourism hubs.

Mechthild Schroeer, 50, of Minden, Germany was fatally shot while walking with her husband around 9 p.m. near the popular Union Square area downtown, police said.

Schroeer was an unintended victim who was caught in an altercation outside between two groups of mostly teenagers that began inside a party, Assistant Chief Jeff Godown said.

Schroeer's husband, Stefan, who was standing beside her, was unharmed. The couple was apparently headed back to their hotel. A weapon was recovered as three adults and two juveniles were later taken into custody for questioning, Godown said.

Investigators are looking into whether it was gang-related.

"On behalf of our entire City, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mechthild Schroeer, who died needlessly from this senseless violence," Mayor Gavin Newsom said in a statement on Monday.

Two other people also shot with Schroeer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated and released from a hospital.

Police Chief George Gascon said Monday the "run and gun battle" comes as violent crime is down 11 percent from last year.

"No level of violence is acceptable," Gascon said. "This is a very safe city and this is not the norm."

Eberhard Brockmann, German deputy consul general in San Francisco, said Monday that Schroeer arrived with her husband to the U.S. in mid-July and were planning to leave San Francisco on Tuesday for St. Louis, then leaving for Chicago later this month.

Their two teenage sons remained in Germany, Brockmann said. Schroeer was named rector of her elementary school in Germany in February, he added.

"It's terribly sad," Brockmann said.

The shooting happened downstairs from where the San Francisco Comedy College and Clubhouse is located. Its owner, Curtis Matthews, said Monday he rented his space to a promoter he has previously worked with for an end-of-summer bash for teens 13 to 17.

Matthews said about 200 young people - twice as many as expected - attended the party. He also said there were about five to six security guards on hand and no food or alcohol were served.

The kids were having a good time but a couple of them ruined the fun for everyone, said Matthews, who stopped by before the shooting. "It's a absolute tragedy. I'm in the middle of this, and, it doesn't feel good."

It was one of two shootings near nightclubs. Several hours later, two women were shot about a half-mile away at a club in the trendy South of Market neighborhood early Monday.

No arrests have been made in that case.

The latest violence comes after a rash of club-related shootings this year in San Francisco, some fatal.

Last month, a man was fatally shot outside a popular Mission Bay nightclub, the second killing there in as many years. The club has been shuttered.

And in February, a hail of 44 bullets outside a notorious club in the Fisherman's Wharf area left one person dead and four critically injured.

On Monday, Newsom signed an ordinance that now gives San Francisco's beleaguered Entertainment Commission more power to permanently revoke the operating permits of troubled clubs.

Previously, the commission had authority to temporarily suspend a venue's operating permit, but it could only be revoked if the owner falsified the permit application.

The expanded legislation to regulate problem night spots comes after the violence and chronic residential complaining about noise and unruliness that mostly occurs during the wee-morning hours.

Police said about 2 percent of the city's 1,500 recognized nightspots now are considered trouble spots.

"We will not tolerate violence in our City's neighborhoods or senseless shootings that occur near and around San Francisco nightclubs and social clubs," Newsom said. "Nightlife is an important part of our City's cultural and economic vibrancy, but there is nothing more important than the public safety of our residents and visitors.

"We will continue to pursue every possible means to prevent violence outside clubs and hold club owners and promoters accountable," Newsom added.

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Simbi meinte:

Vor ca. 3 Jahren am Union Square, direkt gegenüber Macys: meine bessere Hälfte und ich spazieren über den Platz. Uns kommt ein Bodybuilder-Typ entgegen. Alles ganz normal, nichts bedrohliches. Als er auf gleicher Höhe ist, holt er aus und rempelt meine Begleitung (auch kein schmales Hemd) zu Boden. Der Typ geht einfach weiter. Bis auf den Sturz und den Schreck ist gottseidank nichts passiert. Ich war schockiert, wie schnell so etwas passieren kann und froh, dass der Typ kein Messer oder ähnliches bei sich hatte. War übrigens am hellichten Tag.

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