Senator Wiener’s Statement on Shooting Death of Banko Brown

Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement on the shooting death of Banko Brown, a young unarmed, unhoused, transgender man who was shot and killed by an armed Walgreens security guard in San Francisco:

“Banko Brown’s death serves as a reminder of the many ways our country and our community continue to fail our Black and transgender neighbors. His death is all the more tragic because it was preventable. While we are still awaiting comprehensive investigation results on what occurred that day, initial accounts appear to indicate Banko Brown was unarmed. Businesses employing private security must take appropriate safety precautions to prevent horrific tragedies like this one. That is particularly the case for companies employing private security guards who are armed but have not received the same level of training as law enforcement officers.

“The shooting death of Banko Brown reminds us how far our City has to go to live up to our ideals as the City of St. Francis. Mr. Brown spent many hours seeking housing and other assistance from San Francisco, but he was unable to access it. Our continued shortage of permanent supportive housing and shelter beds mean we continue to fail thousands of Banko Browns every day. Black and transgender people are impacted by violent crime, housing insecurity, and unsheltered homelessness at rates far higher than the average San Franciscan, and the work to honor Mr. Brown’s life will not be finished until these disparities are eliminated. Although San Francisco has always strived to provide justice for its most marginalized, justice did not come soon enough for Banko Brown.

“I believe San Francisco can and will do better. Mayor Breed has made an unprecedented commitment to ending transgender homelessness by 2027, and this tragedy lends deeper urgency to that project. Our City is also in the midst of overhauling its entire approach to homelessness, aiming to house 30,000 people in the next 5 years by streamlining systems to improve accessibility and significantly increasing public investment in housing, shelters, and social services.

“San Franciscans are also closely watching how the investigation into this shooting death is being handled by local law enforcement. It is critical that the investigation proceed with urgency and transparency. I will be monitoring this process, and I have every confidence that District Attorney Jenkins and SFPD will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.

“My deepest condolences go to Banko Brown’s family and to the entire Young Women’s Freedom Center community. I join them, and the many lives he touched, in remembering Banko Brown.”