SFPD Arrest Armed Robbery Suspect
On October 27, 2015 at 6:45PM, San Francisco Police Officers from Taraval Station responded to an attempted armed robbery that occurred at a market on the 500 block of Kirkham Street. In this incident, the suspect brandished a firearm and demanded money. The victim was fearful and walked away from the cash register. The suspect fled the scene without taking anything. Within 30 minutes, the robber struck again. This time at a gasoline service station on the 400 block of Divisadero in the Northern Police District. In this case, the suspect fled with the gas station having taken cash from the cash register. Video retrieval officers from Taraval Station were able to produce suspect images from video surveillance cameras and they sent that information to all SFPD members, via email crime alerts, to the officer's Department issued smart phones.
On October 28th, members of the Gang Task Force (GTF) reviewed the crime alerts and immediately recognized the suspect in both of the armed robbery cases. The Gang Task Force devised a plan to locate and arrest the suspect before any further violence occurred. Notifications were made to the respective Station Investigation Teams (SIT) at Taraval and Northern Stations and GTF implemented their plan to locate and arrest the suspect who was identified as Sekou Carson, male, 45 of San Francisco.
On October 28th, members of GTF located and apprehended Carson without incident, at a hotel on the 100 block of Sixth Street. Officers were able to locate and seize evidence related to the robberies. Carson was booked into San Francisco County Jail on the felony charges of robbery and aggravated assault. A probation hold was also placed on Carson who is on Post Release Community Supervsion (PRCS) for a prior narcotics and firearm conviction. Due to pending identification matters, a booking photo is not available at this time.
"This investigation is an example of how great police work is conducted using the best technology available. In less than 48 hours an armed robbery suspect was taken off the streets as the result of dedication and team work by officers from several units within the SFPD. The officers utilized their resources, implemented a plan and safely apprehended a very violent offender. With information being shared and pushed throughout the Department electronically, the identification of suspects are now being made on a daily basis. The use of technology ranging from: smart phones, to the Department’s Crime Data Warehouse and to “email crime alerts” have become more important than ever to information sharing and solving crime" - Chief Greg Suhr.