Conviction of Domestic Violence Shooting Suspect 21-187
On May 25, 2018, at approximately 1:15 p.m. Northern Station officers responded to the 2600 block of California Street regarding a report of a shooting. Officers arrived on scene and located an adult female victim who was being treated by medics for injuries caused by a gunshot. The victim was transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation determined that the victim and her boyfriend had a verbal argument that escalated when the suspect shot the victim and fled the scene.
The SFPD Special Victims Unit (SVU) Investigators took over the investigation for this domestic violence incident. The investigation determined the suspect to be 35-year-old male, Jo’Vaughn Timms whose whereabouts were unknown.
On May 27, 2018 at approximately 12:39 p.m. an officer from Northern Station who was familiar with the shooting investigation and the suspect observed Timms at Pierce and Sacramento Streets. The officer stopped Timms and placed him under arrest. Additional officers arrived on scene and searched Timms. During the search officers discover Timms was in possession of a loaded and concealed firearm. Timms was transported to the San Francisco County Jail and was booked for Attempted Murder (664/187 PC), Willful Infliction of Corporal Injury (273.5 PC), Violation of Emergency protective Order (273.6(a) PC) Assault with Firearm (245(a)(2) PC), and multiple charges related to possession of a loaded and concealed firearm by a felon and prohibited person.
The SFPD SVU Investigators worked with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for the prosecution of the case. On June 7, 2021, Timms was found guilty by a jury for shooting his girlfriend. Timms was also convicted of the firearm possession and dissuading the victim from testifying.
On Friday, October 1, 2021, a Superior Court Judge sentenced Timms to 23 years in state prison.
This case illustrates the relentless commitment of the SFPD Special Victims Unit to investigate cases and to protect domestic violence victims.
This conviction is timely in that the month of October is marked as the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues.