Update: According to scanner traffic a specific San Francisco address figures in Dustin Hamilton’s manifesto. Hamilton stole weapons from his parent's home in San Jose, leaving behind a 20-page manifesto stating that he hates SFPD and was planning to come to 501 Delancey Street (near the intersection with Bryant Street) and kill as many people as he could.
"We're going to notify the tenants, so we just found out on the news, so we're notifying the tenants but I have to have a meeting with everyone else," said security manager Ernest Dayce.
Dayce told ABC7 News San Francisco police moved homeless people outside the Delancy street building earlier this week as there were complaints that they were creating a nuisance. The move may have contributed to Hamilton’s issues with the SFPD and the City of San Francisco.
I’m following this developing story, via local police scanners, of a man threatening to go on a shooting spree here in San Francisco.
From the SF Police Twitter feed: Criminal Threats Suspect, Dustin Hamilton, Sought By #SFPD Investigators. If you see Hamilton in public, do not attempt to make contact. Please immediately dial 911 to notify authorities, contact the SFPD Tip Line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.
Anonymity is guaranteed. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.
Hamilton is described as a 44 year-old White male, six feet tall, weighing 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He has been diagnosed as schizophrenic, and is believed to be currently off his medications. At the present time police say Hamilton could be anywhere in the Bay Area.
According to The San Francisco Chronicle:
San Jose police officers responded to a reported home burglary Wednesday night and found several firearms missing from the residence, but it was an alarming note left behind that shifted the focus from the crime scene to a manhunt.
In the note, the burglar — who was identified as transient Dustin Hamilton — made “credible” threats to kill civilians and police officers in San Francisco on Wednesday, police said. Police have not released the full text of the manifesto to the public.
The 44-year-old transient apparently outlined in a 20-page manifesto, left behind at the scene of the crime, threats to kill SFPD officers and civilians. Dispatchers have broadcasted to local law enforcement that:
“[Hamilton’s manifesto] states that he hates SFPD. There’s a possibility the suspect is armed and could be hiding under an overpass...[warning] units to avoid a possible ambush situation.”
He did not go through with his threats on Wednesday, and Hamilton still remains at large today.
The theft of the firearms in San Jose occurred just hours after the shooting at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno in the South Bay yesterday. Police will not speculate at to whether or not this a possible copy-cat situation stemming from the coverage of the events on Wednesday. (Please reference the update above regarding possible motives.)
Police believe Hamilton is armed with a shotgun and revolver he stole from his parent's house in San Jose while they were out of town. Hamilton is estranged from his parents and has been homeless for nearly a decade despite offers of help over the years from friends and family.
There's a sense of disbelief being voiced among residents in the quiet Willow Glen neighborhood where the burglary occurred. Residents there say they're shocked by the allegations. "He's too good of a kid to do something like this, that's why I don't understand it," said San Jose resident Thomas Smith.
Neighbors are quoted as saying they hope Hamilton turns himself in before anyone gets hurt.
Citizens who believe they have sighted Hamilton in the San Jose area are requested to contact Detective Emilio Perez and Detective Matt Brackett of the San Jose Police Department's Assaults Unit at 408-277-5283. Persons wishing to remain anonymous can either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (408) 947-STOP (7867) or submit a tip here.
Currently law enforcement has little indication of where he is and whether he still is intent on carrying out his alleged plans. He has been known to hang around Bryant and Delancy streets in downtown San Francisco.
At present the BOLO for Hamilton remains in effect as well as a Bay Area-wide manhunt.
I have heard chatter today on the San Francisco police scanners where officers have been investigating a number of possible sightings of Hamilton, including some of men carrying duffel bags, but so far all sightings have checked out to be erroneous.
Periodically dispatch repeats the BOLO to law enforcement regarding Hamiltion including the phrase “he has said he intends to kill SFPD and as many other people as possible.”
San Francisco and San Jose police requested the public’s help today in finding Hamilton, who is considered armed and dangerous. Police have advised if citizens think they have sighted Hamilton to not approach and to instead call 911 or local law enforcement.
Some of the weapons stolen Wednesday included handguns that could be concealed on Hamilton’s person, said Sgt. Enrique Garcia, a San Jose Police Department spokesman.
Meanwhile, the Bay Area is expecting a major storm front to come through later today, and are presently deploying flood barriers in some areas. “This rainfall event itself could provide us with our normal rainfall for the entire month of April,” said Roger Gass, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Monterey.
Let’s hope the weather puts a damper on Hamilton and his deranged plans are called off due to arrest or on account of rain.
NOTE: I will continue to monitor local police scanner channels and will update if there are any further developments in the manhunt.
17:33 — Dispatch has broadcast that there was a possible sighting of Hamilton seen on Bryant and 8th Streets in San Francisco riding a bike. SFPD is currently investigating this sighting.
19:54 — Hamilton’s family has now reported the guns he stole from his parent’s home include specifically a shotgun and a .357 Magnum revolver.