“Fearing for their safety and in defense of their lives, the sergeants drew their service weapons as the suspect pulled the weapon” out, the police statement said. Two sergeants shot and hit the man three times. He was declared dead at San Francisco General Hospital shortly before 8 p.m.
It is concerning that what they instructed the perp to do is not part of the account. "Freeze"? "Hands up"? What?
I'm going to say something likely to be unpopular here. Lacking an instruction, how was he to surrender or drop the gun without taking it out of his waistband? There are multiple cops, probably in body armor, all with their weapons already sighted on him, and ready to discharge. There is no way the perp could grab it, withdraw it, sight it, and get a shot off at them without dying. Thus, this "fear for their safety" is unjustified unless and until he demonstrates intent to bring the weapon to bear. Did he grab it suddenly or slowly?
"Fear" is not a justification for the use of deadly force. REASON to fear can be. I need better information before deciding that this was a justified killing.
What is "asking the man to take his hands out of his shirt pockets"? Sounds pretty clear to me. If he did indeed then draw what appears to be a gun, then cops are justified to shoot him. Body armor or not, cops are not required to let a perp get the first shot off.