San Francisco police

Vigilante Gunmen Fire at Dog Abuser, Hit Bystander in SF: Police

San Francisco police are searching for two vigilantes who shot a bystander while firing at another man who allegedly kicked their mother's dog, police said Tuesday.

The incident occurred Monday night in the city's Ingleside neighborhood when a man got into an argument with a woman walking her dog at the corner of Santos and Brookdale avenues, according to police spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi. During the fight, the man kicked the dog, Manfredi said.

The dog owner then called her two sons to intervene, and they opened fire when they arrived, police said.

The alleged dog abuser then hopped onto a Muni bus to avoid the gunshots, and during the chaos, a bystander was hit in the arm by a stray bullet, police said. The gunshot victim is expected to make a full recovery.

Manfredi said people shouldn't take matters into their own hands with such incidents, especially with firearms.

"It could have been much worse," Manfredi said. "A few inches closer, and we could have had a fatality on our hands."

Even dog lovers agree the violent retaliation was too extreme.

"I think that's a really stupid decision for someone to shoot someone over a dog," said resident Matthew Mendez.

Police said the dog owner is cooperating, but the suspects haven’t been seen since Monday night.

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