Oakland high school teacher killed in San Francisco mourned by students, staff

OAKLAND (KTVU) -- Students, staff and friends gathered Tuesday to pay tribute to a popular Oakland high school teacher who was gunned down last weekend in San Francisco.

Police said no arrests have been made yet in connection with the death of Carlo Tateo, a physical education teacher and assistant football coach at Skyline High School. His slaying marks San Francisco's 33rd homicide of the year, according to reports.

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered inside the Skyline gym to mourn Tateo, a teacher who was said to have a knack for defusing violent confrontations.

"He was always happy," said Skyline student Jose Andrade. "He always had a smile on his face,"

Tateo, 31, was the father of a 2-year-old daughter and students say he had the rare gift of being able to connect with his pupils.

"He talked to a teenager like a teenager would talk to another one," said Ashley Grande, a recent graduate. "So, that's why all teens would bond with him." 

San Francisco police have not said much about the incident in which Tateo was killed. But about 2 a.m. Sunday, Tateo was with a group of people leaving a building near Folsom Street near 11th Street.

Authorities have said there was apparently a confrontation on the street with another man, who shot the teacher. He was rushed for medical treatment to a local hospital, where he died.

Surveillance cameras are mounted on a building near where the shooting occurred but it remains unclear what the argument was about.

Family members said they have been told by witnesses that Tateo may have been trying to act as a peacemaker and diffuse the dispute when he was shot.

The head football coach said Tateo did much for the team even when he didn't have to do so.

"He'd walk in with a giant bag of fruit (or) he would stay up at night and make 50 sandwiches," said coach said football coach Joe Bates. "He wanted to make sure (the students) ate and had everything they needed."

Said Grande: "He was such a good person. This shouldn't have happened to him. So many people are grieving."

A GoFundMe page has been established to benefit Tateo's young daughter. >>>>>Click here for more info.

By KTVU reporter Rob Roth.