Dozens of longtime cannabis activists, neighbors, and customers filled the Vapor Room dispensary in San Francisco's West SOMA neighborhood on Saturday. They gathered to support owner and operator Martin Olive, who is recovering after being shot seven times while outside the shop, and to have a "goodbye" celebration for the shop location, as it shuts down for now.
Those gathered in the shop huddled around for group photos and shouted in unison, "We love you, Martin!" to Olive, who showed up, appearing to be in good spirits despite the apparent bullet wounds on his ear and cheek.
"It really did fill my cup and inspire me to stay positive and stay hopeful about things," Olive said.
San Francisco Police released surveillance video from Jan. 27 when Olive was taking a smoke break outside the shop when a man rode up on an e-bike, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at Olive.
"I had this thought of like, ‘Oh it’s like a TikTok prank or a water gun,’ but then I saw his face and he was very determined and very intent on shooting me, I could see the coldness, detachment in his eyes," Olive recalled. "He just started shooting and I instinctively reflexed back in some direction, and that’s where he got my cheek twice."
In addition to his facial injuries, Olive also suffered injuries to his forearm, that are only minor grazes.
"[The bullet] tore through my cheek, and hit my ear in two positions, hit above my collar bone, hit my forearm twice," Olive said. "But then the big shots, specifically, were my cheek, and when I fell he shot me twice in the back," Olive continued.
Olive said the gunman, whom he did not recognize, then walked calmly into his apartment, which happened to be right next door.
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"I was spasming screaming, I felt like my soul was leaving my body, I was trying to escape, and in the most pain I’ve ever felt in my life," Olive recalled.
Olive said a co-worker witnessed the entire incident and called 911. Olive recalled that a nurse, who was walking by at the time, removed her shirt and made a compress for his wounds.
He described that nurse as "the first angel of many to save my life that day," and he is still hoping to find her so that he can thank her.
Olive also expressed gratitude to the EMTs who helped him that day and to the staff at San Francisco General, where he was hospitalized.
Community members in San Francisco said they were shocked to hear what had happened to Olive.
"It's horrifying, obviously, and Martin is one of the sweetest, most selfless community-building people that I know," said Aundre Speciale of Berkeley, who's been involved in cannabis activism in San Francisco with Olive for more than two decades.
Olive said that he did not recognize the gunman and he still does not know why he was shot.
Police identified the gunman as 34-year-old Cheasarack Chong. Chong was later killed in a shootout with San Francisco Police, and police found a cache of weapons in Chong's apartment. Chong lived in the same building that houses the Vapor Room.
The Vapor Room had existed as a business in San Francisco since 2002 when Olive said he opened it with a coworker in the Lower Haight.
Olive describes the shop as "San Francisco’s oldest, continually operating dispensary from the early cannabis days." The Vapor Room has been at the 9th Street location for the past six years.
However, with Olive injured and the shop already facing other challenges, the SOMA location is shutting down for now.
"We’re gonna try again somehow, hopefully in another location, 'cause I really don’t want to work at this location -- just because of the memories," Olive said.
Olive plans to take time off to process and continue his recovery, which will include facial surgery.
After decades of bringing people together, it's now Olive's turn to lean on the community for support. Olive's loved ones have started a GoFundMe page to help him with his medical bills and recovery.
Olive said he loves San Francisco and intends to continue living and working in the city.
"If you can’t support me directly, support San Francisco, support the businesses, support the small businesses," he said.
