Man Sets Off Pipe Bomb and Throws Molotov Cocktail at San Francisco Church
San Francisco was shaken up on Sunday evening as a disturbance at Saints Peter and Paul Church in the North Beach neighborhood escalated into chaos. According to a city official, the incident involved a man setting off a pipe bomb and tossing a molotov cocktail before being apprehended in the East Bay.
The San Francisco Police Department and Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who represents the neighborhood, confirmed that officers responded to a report of an assault at the church at around 5:52 p.m. As police arrived at the scene, the suspect fled in a vehicle, prompting a pursuit.
During the chase, the suspect threw an unknown object out of the car window at the pursuing officers, according to officials. Supervisor Peskin stated that the suspect ignited a “molotov cocktail” on Eighth Street between Market and Mission as he continued to flee. The suspect then fled onto the freeway, where the California Highway Patrol took over the pursuit.
Eventually, the pursuit came to a stop in Martinez, where the suspect was taken into custody. The San Francisco Police Department has confirmed that explosives experts will be examining the suspect’s car. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported during the incident.
Witnesses reported hearing loud explosions, and the police had cordoned off several blocks surrounding the church and the area around Mission and Eighth streets. Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact them, and members of the public are advised to call 911 if they come across any suspicious devices.
The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided by the police department’s Night Investigations Unit. Meanwhile, San Francisco residents are left shaken by the events that unfolded at one of the city’s most iconic churches.