Off-duty Richmond officer accused of shooting in SF hotel is identified

An off-duty Richmond police officer who allegedly unleashed a barrage of shots inside the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco over the weekend was identified as 45-year-old Phillip Sanchez, said Officer Grace Gatpandan of the San Francisco Police Department.

Sanchez was booked on suspicion of four felony counts of vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an inhabited dwelling and willfully discharging a firearm with gross negligence, Gatpandan said.

Sanchez was described as acting “erratically” and talking about spirits before opening fire, according to police dispatch recordings of the episode.

A guest at the Market Street hotel reported Sanchez to San Francisco police just before 5 a.m. Sunday and identified him as a Richmond police officer, according to the recordings.

Dispatchers told responding officers that Sanchez was “walking erratically around the hotel” and talking about spirits while trying to get security officers to enter a room and saying that security “knows what it is in there.”

A few minutes later, six to seven gunshots were reported on the 17th floor of the hotel. A bullet hole was also found on the 12th floor, according to the recordings.

The entrance to the Four Seasons Hotel is seen Monday, Nov. 6, 2006, in San Francisco. Investors including Microsoft's Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal have joined forces with the Four Seasons Hotels' CEO in a plan to take the hotel chain private for $3.7 billion, or $82 per share, in cash. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Ran on: 11-07-2006 The Four Seasons Hotel, opened five years ago on Market Street in San Francisco, could be sold to an investor group headed by the hotel chain's founder. less The entrance to the Four Seasons Hotel is seen Monday, Nov. 6, 2006, in San Francisco. Investors including Microsoft's Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal have joined forces with the Four Seasons ... more Photo: BEN MARGOT, AP Photo: BEN MARGOT, AP Image 1 of / 43 Caption Close Off-duty Richmond officer accused of shooting in SF hotel is identified 1 / 43 Back to Gallery

Guests were directed to shelter in place while police negotiated with the officer, said Officer Robert Rueca of the SFPD.

A handgun and shell casings were recovered at the scene, Rueca said, and Sanchez “surrendered peacefully” at 6:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.

A spokeswoman for the Four Seasons confirmed that the officer was a guest at the hotel.

Lt. Felix Tan of the Richmond Police Department said that Sanchez has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

Charges have yet to be filed against Sanchez. The San Francisco district attorney’s office said the case had not been referred to it by police as of Monday.

Annie Ma is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ama@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @anniema15