A tragic incident occurred on Thursday morning when a 24-year-old man took his own life and also injured his girlfriend and their 1 ½-year-old son, as confirmed by the young man’s father.
In an emotional interview outside the family’s house on the 1000 block of Tompkins Avenue in San Francisco, Anthony Thomas said that his son, Antoine Thomas, committed himself “for some strange reason.”
The elder Thomas stated that his son’s girlfriend had called and begged him to come to their home, which is located one street over from the Alemany Farmers Market.
“But I didn’t make it in time,” the father said. He got a phone call from a relative that his son had shot himself. It also happened to be the elder Thomas’ birthday.
“Today’s my birthday, what a present,” Anthony Thomas said ironically.
His sister arrived outside the house to offer him a hug, and he burst into tears while speaking.
“Stay away from guns,” the elder Thomas said. “Just try to work out your problems the best way you can.”
Police are investigating a shooting at 8:12 a.m. that resulted in life-threatening injuries to a lady and a kid.
Police did not call the death a homicide and stated that it was an isolated incident with no threat to the public.
Anthony Thomas revealed to reporters in an interview that his son, a young football coach, had experienced bullying and lacked social support.
He described his son as a “nice, spoiled kid,” possessing nice things that others coveted. The elder Thomas stated that these “bullies” intended to beat up his son and “take stuff from him.”
He claimed he informed his son that he “couldn’t beat them all up.”
Thomas was unable to provide additional specifics or context regarding the bullying.
The elder Thomas stated that his grandchild is well, as is his son’s girlfriend. He has another grandson, who was not present at the occasion.
“I’m glad he’s in a better place right now,” Thomas said. “God has his back.”
San Francisco police reported that two individuals sustained gunshot injuries in the 800 block of Bryant Street on Thursday around 10 a.m. There were no arrests made.
Antoine Thomas’ death comes on the heels of San Francisco’s first homicide of 2025, which occurred about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday on South Van Ness Boulevard near a gas station.
Police reported that a man had died from gunshot wounds.
29-year-old Jose Rivera Flores, who had fled the scene in an SUV, was apprehended by the police later in connection with the incident.
He was apprehended by the police and taken into custody at the San Francisco County Jail.