Arrests announced in July shooting death in SF’s Tenderloin

SFPD Police Car SFPD Police Car Photo: Sarah Ravani Photo: Sarah Ravani Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Arrests announced in July shooting death in SF’s Tenderloin 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Two men suspected of shooting and killing a health clinic office assistant in San Francisco’s Tenderloin this summer were identified Friday, officials said.

Homicide investigators launched a probe into the July 17 slaying of Joshua Mejia that led them to arrest 25-year-old Oakland resident Tony Gonzalez. The second suspect, 23-year-old San Francisco resident Francisco Heredia, was already in custody at the San Francisco County Jail on unrelated charges that include drug offenses.

Both men were booked on suspicion of homicide, attempted homicide, assault with a firearm and conspiracy. Officers arrested Gonzalez Friday on Sixth street in the South of Market district. Police have not released mugshots, citing pending identification matters.

Mejia was a Marin County behavioral health clinic employee who touched hundreds of lives as he helped those in psychiatric crisis, according to his co-workers.

Mejia, an Alameda resident, was among a group of people leaving a bar on Geary Street near Larkin Street around 2 a.m. July 17 when a fight broke out, police said.

The run-in seemed to have calmed down when police said a black BMW rolled up on the group and a person got out and opened fire on the crowd.

Mejia was shot in the upper torso and pronounced dead a short time later at San Francisco General Hospital.

Hours before the incident, he had celebrated his seven-year anniversary with his girlfriend, Marlene Deleon.

“We had an amazing night. An amazing, beautiful, happy night,” Deleon said in July. “He felt so accomplished. He felt like good things were happening. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Mejia’s colleagues at the Behavioral Health Recovery and Support Services gathered at his empty desk to mourn shortly after his death.

Heredia and Gonzalez were being held without bail at the San Francisco County Jail.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJouro