Overview

• Joey Alexander, 60, was shot Friday near the library entrance after asking a man to stop using drugs because families were nearby, the nonprofit said.
• The assailant allegedly pulled a shotgun from a bag, cursed Urban Alchemy by name, and fired at close range before being detained, according to colleagues and police.
• Alexander died at San Francisco General Hospital on Tuesday, and Bowen remains in custody with police elevating his booking to murder as the district attorney reviews the case.
• A charging decision could be announced Thursday, KTVU reported, with prosecutors expected to seek a murder charge.
• Urban Alchemy’s unarmed practitioners work to deter open-air drug use in difficult corridors, a role praised for lowering crime yet criticized for risks and oversight, and city leaders and the nonprofit publicly mourned Alexander.