Gun-wielding man shot dead near San Francisco

The 32-year-old man was shot dead on Saturday night after he refused to lay down his weapon and fired at police officers outside a bank in Redwood City, about 40 km south of San Francisco, reports Xinhua news agency.

The shooting came less than a day after San Francisco police launched a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP), or tightened security across the city, in the final holiday weekend of 2017. 

The MEP began on Friday evening and will last until Monday.

San Francisco Police Chief William Scott told a press conference Friday that "additional deployment" of police has been planned for the holiday weekend to ensure "public safety at New Year's Eve celebrations".