San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr resigns after fatal police shooting

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr resigned following a fatal officer-involved shooting Thursday morning, Mayor Ed Lee announced.

Lee said in a news conference at San Francisco City Hall late Thursday afternoon that he asked for Suhr's resignation. The mayor said he appointed Toney Chaplin as interim chief.

Officials said a 27-year-old woman in a stolen vehicle was fatally shot by a police sergeant, the third fatal officer-involved shooting in San Francisco since December.

The shootings prompted many protests and calls for the chief to be removed from his position.

Suhr has been with the San Francisco Police Department for 33 years. He was elected chief in 2011 when then Police Chief George Gascon became district attorney. He was born and raised in San Francisco and graduated from the University of San Francisco.

His last year as chief was rocked with controversies, from a racial and homophobic text messaging scandal involving officers to three fatal police shootings within the last six months.

"Despite the political rhetoric of the past few weeks, I have nothing but profound admiration for Greg. He's a true public servant, and he will always have my respect," a statement released by Lee said in part.

Toney has served in the San Francisco Police Department for 26 years and recently helped establish a new arm of the department that focuses on accountability and transparency, the mayor said.