A man armed with a crossbow, arrows, and a knife launched an attack at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco earlier this month, resulting in his death after being shot by police. The San Francisco Police Department has released official details of the incident, including body camera footage from the responding officers.
The footage shows the suspect, Zhanyuan Yang, crashing his car into the consulate’s lobby before people rushed out through a damaged door. As officers arrived at the scene, Yang emerged from his car with a crossbow and arrows, covering his face with his left arm after being sprayed with pepper spray by a security guard. In his right hand, he concealed a knife.
According to San Francisco Police Acting Commander Mark Im, Yang then turned towards Sergeant Troy Carrasco and a consulate security guard, making rapid downward swinging motions with the knife. In response, Carrasco opened fire, shouting, “You should have told me he had a knife!” Yang was taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The incident has raised questions about the officers’ handling of the situation and whether de-escalation techniques were attempted. However, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott refrained from making judgments, stating that officers are trained to prioritize stopping a threat when faced with an active attacker.
The Chinese government condemned the attack, describing it as “a violent attack,” while the White House also expressed its concern. The timing of the incident is significant as San Francisco is preparing to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit next month.
Police investigators have conducted searches at Yang’s apartment, but the motive behind the attack remains unclear. Witnesses reported that Yang yelled about the Chinese Communist Party as he crashed into the consulate. The San Francisco consulate has experienced previous incidents, including a fire set by an individual in 2014, who claimed to be driven by voices and was subsequently sentenced to prison.
The attack at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco highlights the need for increased security measures and the importance of maintaining safety at diplomatic locations.
