In an incident that would definitely raise question marks on the safety aspect of the hugely popular game Pokemon Go, a man in San Francisco was shot to death on Sunday while he was playing the game on his phone. According to a reports in the LA Times, "A 20-year-old man was shot and killed while playing 'Pokemon Go' near San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, a popular tourist destination along the waterfront, authorities said Sunday. The shooting of Calvin Riley occurred about 10 p.m. Saturday in Aquatic Park, said Sgt. Robert Jansing, a detective with the U.S. Park Police. Aquatic Park is adjacent to Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.
Riley was walking on the promenade along the water and playing the popular cellphone game when he was gunned down. The assailant did not take any of Riley's property or attempt to rob him, Jansing said. Investigators were puzzled by what led to the slaying."
However, the report did go on to state, that as of now, there is no concrete evidence that can connect the incident with 'Pokemon Go'. "It's unclear if the shooting was related to "Pokemon Go," which has surged in popularity since it was released this summer. The app uses a player's smartphone camera and GPS technology to guide him to real locations to "collect" Pokemon, or "pocket monsters," in real locations. Players point the camera and virtual characters appear against the real-world backdrop. Then players toss a virtual ball to capture that character.
The game has drawn crowds to parks, boardwalks and promenades in search of rare Pokemon. Players have found themselves targets of assailants or witnesses to crimes. Last month, two men focusing on the smartphone game were robbed and carjacked in Northern California. In Fullerton, two former Marines helped nab a man wanted for attempted murder in Sonoma County. And in San Francisco, a brother and sister were robbed of their smartphones while playing "Pokemon Go."
