Man Shot Near Lake Merced Early Morning, Expected to Survive

A 65-year-old man was shot and wounded in the pre-dawn hours near the southern tip of Lake Merced, transported to a hospital, and is expected to survive, San Francisco police said.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 4:50 a.m. in the 500 block of John Muir Drive. They found the man at the scene and took him to a local hospital. As of Thursday morning, police had not announced any arrests or released a detailed description of the suspected shooter.

The 500 block of John Muir Drive sits at the southern end of the lake, flanked by parkland and apartment complexes and close to the long-planned Lake Merced West recreation site. The stretch has drawn police attention before: the San Francisco Chronicle reported a parking dispute and police chase in the same block last August.

A short walk from where the shooting occurred, the former Pacific Rod & Gun Club property at 520 John Muir Drive is undergoing cleanup and is slated to become an 11-acre public park. Supporters of the redevelopment project have argued that bringing more daytime activity and foot traffic to that section of shoreline could improve oversight of the area, though others caution that new parkland alone will not resolve persistent public-safety concerns along that stretch of John Muir Drive.

Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or who has video footage to call the SFPD tip line at (415) 575-4444. Tips can also be submitted by texting TIP411 with "SFPD" at the start of the message. The department notes that tips "will be reviewed by our agency personnel" and may prompt follow-up questions from detectives.