San Francisco police

SFPD Officer Injured in Shooting Released from Hospital, Enters Rehab Facility for Paralysis

Dozens of people attended a community meeting with San Francisco police and wanted to know how the officer shot last Friday night is doing.

Officer Kevin Downs has been released from the hospital, but is now in a rehab facility to address paralysis in an arm and leg.

"The shot fractured Kevin's skull, missed a main artery by a centimeter and paralyzed his right leg and right arm," Acting Chief Toney Chaplin said.

Police said a security guard at the Lakeshore Plaza called police late Friday after pepper spraying a man he described as combative. That man was later identified as Nicholas McWherter.

Police said McWherter shot Downs with a .22-calibur Ruger as Downs got out of his patrol car. Officers found the Pacifica native an hour later near Stern Grove.

"He came out firing, officers returned fire. It was a shoot out," Chaplin said.

McWherter died on Sunday. McWherter's family said he was mentally ill.

Police said they found nearly two dozen rounds in the bushes where he was hiding. The department said it is also reviewing body camera video from several officers.

Resident Nancy Rubin hopes Thursday's meeting is the first of many.

"There needs to be a lot more dialogue with community," she said. "Now most are feeling PTSD -- kids heard gun fire, saw people running, heard grenades. It's traumatic."

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