Overview
- Officers found a man with a gunshot wound near the Warfield Theatre and he later died at a hospital; the city medical examiner identified him as 47-year-old Ulysses Tykee Davis, known as "Bear."
- Staff and witnesses described a chaotic late-night scene that included the release of a chemical irritant inside the theater and a panicked evacuation before shots were heard.
- Family members and an eyewitness said Davis was helping escort a disruptive woman when a gun was fired and he was struck, but the San Francisco Police Department has not confirmed those specific accounts or named a suspect.
- SFPD’s homicide unit is investigating the shooting and is also reviewing whether the Warfield had proper permits and followed venue operating conditions for the event.
- The shooting forced the Warfield to move or cancel upcoming events, left staff traumatized, and raised questions about security, crowd control, and how reality-show performances are staged at large venues.