Four juveniles were also shot after street brawls near Fulton Street and the Great Highway turned violent, police said.
SAN FRANCISCO — A 35-year-old man was seriously wounded inside his Outer Richmond apartment when a stray bullet shattered his balcony door during a Saturday night shooting near the Great Highway, authorities and neighbors said. The gunfire followed a series of teen fights near Ocean Beach shortly before 9 p.m. and also injured four juveniles.
Police said the chaos began with multiple scuffles near Fulton Street and the Great Highway, a busy stretch bordering Ocean Beach where weekend gatherings are common. Officers responded to reports of fighting and shots fired around 9 p.m., found several victims, and rendered aid before ambulances took them to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Investigators described the case as an isolated incident and said no arrests had been made as of Sunday. City leaders condemned the violence while residents voiced frustration over rowdy crowds. The clash has renewed attention on how the beach and surrounding streets are policed by different agencies and what that means when disturbances escalate.
Witness accounts and videos posted online showed groups of teenagers pushing, punching and dragging one person before the popping sound of gunfire sent people scrambling across Fulton Street. Inside a nearby apartment, a resident identified by loved ones only as Nathan stepped toward a window to see what was happening when a round tore through the glass and struck his abdomen, neighbors said. “There was a bloody mark where he knocked,” neighbor Katherine McGonigle said, recalling how the wounded man banged on her door for help. She phoned 911, flagged an officer and stayed with him until medics arrived. Police said four youths also suffered gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.
Doctors removed one of Nathan’s kidneys and part of his bowel, according to his girlfriend, who asked not to be identified out of safety concerns. She said the bullet came to rest dangerously close to his aorta and spine, and that he has undergone multiple surgeries but is now able to stand and walk short distances. He remains hospitalized. Fire officials and police said the four juvenile victims were treated for less severe injuries. Authorities emphasized they are still gathering evidence, and have not publicly confirmed a motive. Investigators said the gunfire appears tied to the street fights, but many details, including who fired and how many weapons were used, remain unknown.
The confrontation unfolded amid weekend beach gatherings that neighbors say often swell after dark, especially near the Safeway at Fulton Street and the Great Highway. Parents and residents told reporters that while the crowds are usually loud, they rarely see gun violence. Still, some complained that response times feel slow and that the jurisdictional split complicates enforcement: the beach and dunes are under U.S. Park Police while the adjacent streets fall to the San Francisco Police Department. Following the shooting, residents in nearby buildings described people running, car horns blaring and a rush of first responders moving in as officers roped off intersections and combed the area for shell casings.
City officials condemned the shooting. Police called it an isolated incident and urged witnesses to come forward. Mayor Daniel Lurie said the gunfire does not reflect the city’s values and pledged support for the investigation, according to statements released over the weekend. Authorities have not announced any arrests or suspects. Detectives are reviewing witness statements and social video, canvassing for surveillance footage from nearby businesses and apartments, and processing physical evidence. Police did not say whether they believe the violence was gang-related; the victim’s girlfriend said investigators asked about that possibility but have not told the family of any firm determination.
Neighbors said the shooting has shaken a typically peaceful corner of the Outer Richmond where Ocean Beach bonfires and gatherings are a long-running local ritual. Some residents called for a more visible police presence on weekends and clearer coordination between Park Police and SFPD when large groups form along the Great Highway. Others worried about tightening restrictions that might push teens to more secluded areas with fewer adults around. Building managers and parents said they plan to discuss safety with city officials and school leaders in the coming days, as students from several campuses were reportedly present during the melee. “We should be able to peacefully enjoy our lives here,” McGonigle said.
As of Sunday, the hospital listed Nathan in serious condition. Police said the four juveniles are expected to recover. Detectives are asking anyone who recorded the fights or the moments before the shots to contact investigators. The next public update is expected after video reviews and lab work are complete this week. No arrests had been reported by late Sunday.
Author note: Last updated November 16, 2025.