Bar shootings in San Francisco's Japantown leave 2 dead, 1 injured

A gunman opened fire at a bar in the city's Japantown section, killing two people and injuring a third, police said.

Photo: Bar shootings in San Francisco's Japantown leave 2 dead, 1 injured

Joseph Melcher, 25, was arrested shortly after the shootings Saturday night, and was booked on suspicion of homicide, suspicion of attempted homicide and suspicion of assault with a firearm.

Witnesses told authorities that Melcher walked into The Flow around 9:15 p.m., encountered three women, asked for someone by name, then pulled out a handgun and began shooting, said police spokesman Sgt. Steve Mannina.

Melcher shot and injured the female bartender, authorities said. He then shot another woman, Song Sun Lee, 34, who died at the scene, Mannina said Sunday.

As Melcher left the bar, he got into an altercation with Kam Yan Li and shot him, police said. Li, 22, died at a hospital Sunday, according to the medical examiner's office.

The 40-year-old bartender was listed in stable condition, reports AP.

Helped by tips from witnesses, police found Melcher about 12 blocks from the bar.