South San Francisco man shot by police charged with assault, resisting police – The Mercury News
REDWOOD CITY – A South San Francisco man who was shot seven times by police in December survived multiple felony charges for allegedly stabbing officers after he went to his home for a mental health call, prosecutors said.
Luis Adrian Francisco Manzo was charged with one count of assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon and four counts of aggravated resisting an officer with a deadly weapon, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
Francisco Manzo, 28, appeared in court Friday to surrender on a warrant, and was denied bail by San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey B. Jackson on the grounds that he still poses a threat to public safety, prosecutors said.
He was shot on the morning of December 8, after several South San Francisco Police Department officers responded to a call from a relative of Francisco Manzo, who said he was threatening to harm himself and was armed with two knives. The authorities met Francisco Manzo in the hallway of the family’s home and said that, after following the police’s instructions, he pulled out a knife and walked towards the police, asking them to “kill him.”
One officer fired his gun, but two officers fired their guns as Francisco Manzo approached, authorities and prosecutors said.
He was then rushed to the trauma center in critical condition. At the time of the incident, he had been sentenced in 2023 for possession of a firearm and drugs, according to prosecutors.
The police shooting remains under investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office but is nearing completion, DA Stephen Wagstaffe said Monday. The investigation will determine whether the actions of the officers – identified as Brendan Hart and Martin Corona – were justified.
“It’s a tragic incident where our police officers in this county are forced to use their firearms on a person,” said San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe. “I’m glad you survived, I’m glad the police don’t care if they kill anybody. I wish we could find these things.”
Jeff Wozniak, Francisco Manzo’s lawyer, said his client was shot seven times and spent a month in the hospital undergoing multiple surgeries. In addition to the gunshot wounds, he suffered broken bones in his face and spine from falling forward during the incident, and has a foreign object in his eye that may require further surgery, Wozniak said. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and opioid withdrawal syndrome.
“They shot him to kill him, obviously,” Wozniak said. “He was shot in the neck, upper chest, armpit, stomach. And he’s very lucky to be alive.”
Wozniak said he was concerned that Francisco Manzo would not receive adequate medical attention for his injuries while in prison. Wozniak added that, as of Tuesday morning, the bandages on Francisco Manzo’s open wounds, which should be changed twice daily, have not been changed since Friday. A planned doctor’s appointment had to be canceled when he was arrested, the defense attorney said.
But, according to Wagstaffe, “he should be incarcerated because our jail won’t take anyone with extraordinary medical needs.”
Initial reports indicated that Francisco Manzo had taken drugs, but Wozniak said his client had been drinking when he was shot and had mental issues. Two weeks ago, Francisco Manzo had started detoxification and was still experiencing symptoms of acute withdrawal syndrome and was not sleeping well, the lawyer said.
On Dec. 5, three days before the shooting, Francisco Manzo called 911, then took himself to the hospital because he felt “not in his right mind,” but was dismissed, Wozniak said.
The next day, a relative took her to the hospital complaining of pain in her leg but was concerned that she was “too out of it and out of her mind,” Wozniak said. The hospital treated him for pain in his leg but discharged him without mental health care, the lawyer said. On Dec. 7, Francisco Manzo called 911 and asked to be taken to a detox center but was told he would have to make his own arrangements, Wozniak said.
“It’s just a sign of the failure of our country and our communities to help people with mental health issues,” Wozniak said. “It was three days before this happened when he was accessing services through the police, (at the hospital), only to be told that he had to take care of himself. Then after many days of not sleeping, he killed himself.”
Wozniak added that he plans to pursue a mental health diversion in the case.
Francisco Manzo will next appear in court on February 20 for his arraignment and plea.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources. Call or text 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where the chat is available.
