Authorities have identified 45-year-old Brandon Mitchell, a long-time Mendocino County resident, and member of Laytonville’s Cahto tribe, as the man killed in a San Francisco’s Southern District neighborhood late last month.
A press release issued by the San Francisco Police Department states officers responded to the area of Mission and Washburn Streets after receiving reports of a stabbing.
Once on scene, officers found two victims, 45-year-old Mitchell and a 38-year-old female, “suffering from apparent stab wounds.” Officers “rendered aid” at the scene, both victims were transported to an area hospital, and despite lifesaving efforts, Mitchell was declared deceased at the hospital.
A report from KRON4 revealed Mitchell was officially identified as the victim by San Francisco’s Medical Examiner’s Office.
30-year-old Bryce Mitchell, Brandon’s younger brother, told us his brother and his girlfriend were living on the streets of San Francisco when the homicide occurred. He has gathered that the stabbing was the result of a confrontation between Brandon, his girlfriend, and another group of street dwellers.
Bryce told us that around December 18, 2023, approximately ten days before Brandon was murdered, his older brother was the victim of a gunshot wound. After Brandon was released from the hospital, Brandon contacted the Cahto Tribe for assistance in finding shelter but was denied. Instead, a chairperson at the tribe reportedly told Brandon they could try to get him into a rehab center.
The tribe’s unwillingness to offer support to Brandon troubles Bryce. He knows that Governor Gavin Newsom provided the tribe $2.6 million to address homelessness and wonders why his brother was turned away.
Since his brother’s death, Bryce and the rest of Brandon’s family have been doggedly contacting SFPD. “We don’t want him to be [just] another victim,” he said.
The family has learned that authorities were able to track down surveillance footage of the attack and were working with Brandon’s surviving girlfriend, the sole witness to the attack, to identify the suspects.
It was just yesterday that Brandon’s family learned that law enforcement had officially taken a suspect into custody and that person would be arraigned in the coming days.
We have reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for confirmation that a suspect has been taken into custody but have yet to hear back at the time of publication.
A funeral was held for Brandon in Laytonville on January 6 and Bryce said 150-250 were in attendance. He was blown away by how “loved Brandon was” and “how many lives he had touched.”
Bryce told us he was always close with Brandon despite the 15-year age difference. “We always hung out, we were always close. I looked up to him.” Brandon bought Bryce his first dirt bike, his first quad, and was “always a big part of my life.” Bryce said hisis a father whose kids loved their Uncle Brandon.
Patrick Warner, a Laytonville resident and long-time friend of Mitchell’s, had this to say, “through all the hard shit [Brandon] was always good to people. Always kind always polite, never hurt anyone or ripped anyone off or wronged anyone. He was a good soul that got dealt a rough hand.”
When I clicked on this early this morning I was yet half awake and I said to myself out loud hey I know that guy? After reading the name I understood why and welled up. And then scrolling down and seeing Brandons high school picture It stunned me and it was like seeing a ghost. I am not certain cause I lost touch long ago but I am guessing that he was old Ed and Gingers next to youngest? If so the reason it stunned me is because Brandon is the mirror image of young Ed and the best friend that I ever had in my long life now and the uncle that Brandon never knew Carlos (Buckwheat) Mitchell.i hope I got this right if not no disrespect to family.if so and to Ed and Ginger if you two are still walking on this Earth my Heartfelt condolences. T.B.
Brandon was Ed and Ginger’s middle child, he had a younger brother and sister as well. Ed is still here, Ginger passed around 20 years ago but is reunited with Brandon now.
Thank you Kellie.