San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi (Sheriff at time)
- Case on record
- 1
- Ended in a killing
- 0
- Prior arrests across these defendants
- 7
Background
Under San Francisco's 'Due Process for All' sanctuary ordinance, the SF Sheriff's Department declined a federal ICE detainer request and released Jose Inez Garcia Zarate in March 2015 after the DA dropped a 20-year-old marijuana charge. Months later Zarate fired a stolen firearm at Pier 14, killing Kate Steinle. The case became central to the national debate over sanctuary jurisdictions.
Cases on record
Kate Steinle, 32
Steinle was walking on Pier 14 with her father when she was struck in the back by a bullet that ricocheted off the concrete. Garcia Zarate said he found the gun (stolen from a federal agent's vehicle) wrapped in cloth under a bench and that it discharged accidentally. Acquitted of murder/manslaughter in 2017; convicted in federal court of being a felon in possession. Sentenced to time served.