Man shot at San Francisco pride event after argument

Police say pride spectator who was shot was believed to be ‘unrelated to the dispute’

Same-sex marriage supporters hold pride flags next to an altered street sign that reads “case closed!’ while celebrating the U Supreme Court ruling in San Francisco, California. Photograph:  Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Same-sex marriage supporters hold pride flags next to an altered street sign that reads “case closed!’ while celebrating the U Supreme Court ruling in San Francisco, California. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A bystander has been shot at a gay pride event in San Francisco when an argument between several young men turned violent, police said.

The incident was believed to have occurred when several groups of men unrelated to the pride event “got in a verbal argument near or inside the venue,” the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement.

Several people were detained for questioning after the shooting.

Police said the incident escalated “when one of the subjects pulled out a gun and fired several shots. One shot struck a pride spectator in the arm.”

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Police were alerted to the shooting, which occurred in the United Nations Plaza area, just after 6 pm (1pm).

There were chaotic scenes after the shooting as dozens of people ran screaming while police officers carrying handguns rushed to the scene.

Four shots were heard in a witness video posted online.

Police said the argument had nothing to do with the gay pride event.

A concert that was part of the weekend-long gay pride celebration across the city was ending around the time of the shooting.

The pride spectator who was shot was believed to be “unrelated to the dispute,” SFPD officer Carlos Manfredi said.

The injured man was transported to San Francisco General Hospital where he is in stable condition, police said.

The city’s gang task force, crime scene unit and night investigations unit are investigating the incident.

The shooting comes just one day after the US Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal throughout the nation.