A man is clinging to life after being shot in the neck in downtown San Mateo last night when an argument between associates escalated to near-deadly violence.
Police spent last night looking for William James Hagan, Jr., who witnesses say fired a single shot into the back of a 34-year-old South San Francisco man in front of Hagan's home on the 400 block of South Claremont Street at Fourth Avenue. The bullet shattered a vertebrae and exited the front of the man's neck, said San Mateo police Lt. Barbara Hammerman.
The victim had traveled to San Mateo with two friends to retrieve some property yesterday afternoon. The group parked in the Taco Bell parking lot while one friend went to the house to speak with Hagan. The victim and a friend stayed in the car, Hammerman said.
"The friend met with Hagan and everything was fine," Hammerman said.
Until it wasn't. The victim got out of the car and a pushing match ensued. It escalated and the two friends say they heard a gunshot and the victim fell to the ground bleeding. The two friends fled the scene fearing for their life while Hagan allegedly ran inside.
When police arrived, Hagan was nowhere to be seen. The man, who was conscious and speaking, was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery. He is now out of surgery, but is in critical condition, Hammerman said.
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The two friends of the victim later arrived at the San Mateo Police Department to tell their side of the story. Hammerman said the police wants to talk to Hagan to get his side of the story.
Blood remained pooled on the sidewalk until about 11 p.m. while police collected evidence. Last night, Hammerman said she expected police to be working through the night on the case.
Hammerman said she cannot recall any previous problems at the house nor any criminal record for Hagan. It is not known if Hagan has any guns registered to him, she said.
Hagan is described as white, 28, 5 feet 8 inches, 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Although he has a shaved head in his drivers' license photo, Hammerman said witnesses described him as having shoulder-length hair and a goatee.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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