Murder Victim In Playground Shooting Was A Community Outreach Worker In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — Police have identified the 32-year-old former gang member as Allen Calloway, the victim of a fatal shooting that was witnessed by dozens of children at a playground in San Francisco's Visitacion Valley last week.
Grief counselors were present on Monday as police stepped up presence at the Herz Playgroud near Hahn Street and Visitacion Avenue after Calloway was shot and killed Friday afternoon at about 2 p.m.
Murder Victim Of Brazen Playground Shooting In San Francisco's Visitacion Valley Was A Community Outreach Worker
According to police, Calloway was leading a group of kids, including his 10-year-old son, in a game of dodgeball when a suspect walked up and shot him several times. He died later at the hospital.
"Everybody is doing everything that was correct, right? Mr. Calloway was turning his life around; he was working in a positive direction. The kids were being kids; they were out having great fun and recreation," said Supervisor Malia Cohen, who represents the district. "The brazenness of this attack is mind blowing."
Calloway was working as a part-time outreach worker for Together, United, Recommitted Forever (TURF) after having left his gang life behind. He had been sentenced to one year and seven months in federal prison in 2007 for selling cocaine for the Down Below Gang based in the Sunnydale housing project.
The shooting suspect has not been identified and remains at large.
Cohen said they had a ribbon cutting for a refurbishing of the playground just last month and kids were enjoying the summer there. But now she's afraid parents won't let their kids come play.
