By Megan Robertson

On March 8, around 4 p.m., San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers arrived at 41st Avenue between Lincoln Way and Irving Street, in response to reports of an “armed adult male subject with a firearm” threatening neighbors, including children, according to an SFPD statement.

With more department information, released in a March 18 SFPD virtual town hall, it was revealed that the 46-year-old Outer Sunset District resident, Dmitri Hochstatter, appeared to be drunk, and his wife told SFPD that he had consumed alcohol.

In the drone and body camera footage revealed at the town hall, Hochstatter was outside, standing directly behind a fence. He visibly waved a firearm in the air, aiming directly toward the police drone monitoring him.

After SFPD officers arrived on the scene, approaching the situation via a neighboring porch, a first gunshot could be heard. From the footage SFPD provided, the suspect can be seen waving the gun, and then there is a gunshot. It is not clear whether the officer or the suspect did the shooting. The bullet hit the fence that the suspect was standing behind, and a piece of the fence blew off and hit him in the face.

Gunshots then rang out. Hochstatter fired a few shots into the air and fled. Hochstatter was shot in the arm. From footage provided, it is unclear whether he was shot by himself or an officer.

In the public comment portion of the town hall, SFPD Police Chief William Scott would not confirm whether the officers shot Hochstatter or if he had injured himself.

“That will be a part of the investigation,” Scott said. “We do know that he was shot once.”

Officers yelled at Hochstatter to get on the ground. Eventually he cooperated and was taken into police custody.

He was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This shooting marks one of the first notable incidents involving a suspect threatening SFPD drones in San Francisco. In March of last year, drones were permitted to be used by SFPD for the first time due to the passing of Proposition E.

The ballot measure, backed by former Mayor London Breed and current Mayor Daniel Lurie, set to limit police administrative task time and offer more technological allowances to SFPD, including the use of drones.

In August of last year, the department began purchasing and implementing drone usage.

“Drones help officers safely gather information on criminal subjects. We can now be more precise, gain better intelligence and respond to crimes faster and more efficiently,” Scott said in an August 2024 department promotional video.

The passing of the proposition struck down the precedent set in 2019 by the Board of Supervisors. Their “Acquisition of Surveillance Technology Ordinance” mandated public posting of surveillance technologies in possession or use by city departments and banned the use of Facial Recognition Technology.

Prop. E received opposition in early 2024 due to a number of critiques, such as data security. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a self-described “leading nonprofit defending digital privacy, free speech and innovation” via their website, organized a number of resistance campaigns, even flying a plane over the city in February 2024 with a banner that read: “NO SURVEILLANCE STATE! NO ON PROP. E!”

SFPD affirms that they have “a robust policy on drone usage that complies with federal, state and local laws and ensures individuals’ constitutional rights are protected,” according to the “Drone” page on its website.

SFPD declined to comment on any questions related to the Hochstatter shooting incident.

“Since the investigation is still open and active, we are unable to provide further information,” stated Public Information Officer Eve Laokwansathitaya.

The shooting remains under investigation by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, San Francisco Police Department Investigative Services Detail (ISD), San Francisco Police Department Internal Affairs Division (IAD) and Department of Police Accountability (DPA). 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin amessage with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.