A vehicle has plowed into the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco, causing pandemonium and resulting in the driver being shot dead by the police, according to officials.
The driver, who has not been identified, on Monday, crashed into the front of the consulate, which is situated on a main road opposite Japantown in the city.
The Chinese Consulate general has characterized this incident as an “assault of a violent nature.”
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San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Kathryn Winters said, “When officers arrived here on scene, they found the vehicle had come to rest inside the lobby of the Chinese consulate. Officers entered, made contact with the suspect and an officer-involved shooting occurred. The suspect was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is an open and active investigation.”
Eyewitness video showed the vehicle that had crashed into the consulate. One witness described it as a chaotic scene as people inside the consulate fled.
The Chinese diplomatic post in San Francisco issued a separate statement saying an “unidentified person drove violently into the document hall of the consulate, posing a serious threat to the safety of the staff and people at the scene, and causing serious damage to the facilities and property of the consulate”. The consulate went on to say that it “strongly condemns this violent attack and reserves the right to pursue responsibility for the incident”.
The incident is currently under investigation by multiple agencies due to its unique nature. The San Francisco police are coordinating with investigators from the US State Department.