SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KRON) — Two men were shot and another man was stabbed when violence erupted in San Rafael following peaceful celebrations of Guatemalan Independence Day, according to police.
Police said the celebrations saw over 1,500 attendees taking part both at Northgate Mall and at a parking lot on Andersen Drive. The events ended with no major incidents and only minor noise complaints.
After the events ended at 9 p.m., gatherings in the Canal neighborhood took place along Medway Road, Canal Street, Pickleweed Park and other cross streets, SRPD said. Moving into the night, traffic jams were starting to occur due to the large gatherings. Hundreds of vehicles and over a thousand people were estimated to be present, according to officials.
San Rafael police began to clear the large crowds at midnight as sideshow and reckless driving activity was occurring between Canal Street and Medway Road, police said. In the process, violence broke out and several Marin County law enforcement agencies responded to an emergency request from SRPD including the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Central Marin Police Authority, as well as police departments from Novato, Fairfax, Ross and Mill Valley.
Multiple street closures were ordered by San Rafael police at Canal Street, Medway Road, Belvedere Street, Larkspur Street, Front Street and Mill Street. Once the area was cleared, the roads reopened at 1:45 a.m.
Overnight Shootings and Stabbing
Witnesses reported gunshots to police at 10:22 p.m. Friday night on the 100 block of Novato Street in San Rafael. Responding officers located a 25-year-old man who had been shot twice. The victim was evacuated out of the area in a police car to awaiting San Rafael Fire Department paramedics, where he was then transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
A fight that broke out at 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning resulted in a 24-year-old victim being stabbed and hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
At 1:30 a.m. on the same night, the SRPD was notified by local hospital staff that a 20-year-old male gunshot victim had arrived at their emergency room. Police said the man was shot somewhere in San Rafael, however, the victim was uncooperative with officers as to what occurred and where the shooting specifically took place. The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
San Rafael police officers and detectives are investigating these crimes and seeking the public’s help with more information, including videos or photographs of the events. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call San Rafael Police at (415) 485-3000. Tips can also be made online at https://www.srpd.org/tips.
