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Arrest Made In Fatal Shooting Of San Francisco DPW Worker

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) -- The San Francisco District Attorney's Office confirmed Thursday that a suspect has been arrested for the fatal shooting of a San Francisco city worker.

The SF District Attorney's Office confirmed the arrest of Michael Higginbotham on a homicide charge in connection with San Francisco Department of Public Works employee Jermaine Jackson Jr. in the Mission District Wednesday morning.

San Francisco police later confirmed that the 26-year-old Higginbotham was arrested in Vallejo on Wednesday evening on suspicion of murder in connection with the shooting of Jackson.

"You know it's bittersweet for us because it doesn't bring back Jermain, but yeah, we are relieved, and hopefully justice will be served," Jackson's Aunt Monica Autry told KPIX 5.

There was no other information available regarding Higgenbotham's arrest. The District Attorney has not filed booking charges yet and no court date has been set.

The 27-year-old city worker was fatally shot while cleaning streets in the Mission. Jackson was working in the area of 25th and Vermont streets, not far from San Francisco General Hospital, when he was shot around 8 a.m., according to police.

He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

DPW Director Mohammed Nuru said Jackson, the father of two young children, was working with a crew removing graffiti at the time of the shooting, which he called a "tragic incident."

A laborer apprentice with the department since March 2015, Jackson was expected to graduate from that program next year.

He had previously participated in the city's Interrupt, Predict, Organize anti-violence program and had earned his GED while enrolled in the program, Nuru said.

Nuru described Jackson as a "motivated, hard-working and well-liked employee."

"My prayers are with his loved ones and friends during this difficult and profoundly sad time," Nuru said.

Mayor Ed Lee issued a statement saying he was "deeply saddened" by the shooting.

"This was a young man who worked very hard to build a good life for himself and his children, and was committed to his work keeping the City of San Francisco and our neighborhoods clean," Lee said. "This is a tragic instance of a life cut short."

Flowers and candles were laid at the site of Jackson's death Wednesday evening and a small cross had been placed over a bullet hole at the crime scene.

© Copyright 2016 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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