and then, there was ed lee. decent, honorable, humble human being who always wanted to do the right thing. who never wanted to take other folks down. i think if there's any legacy to ed, it's a reminder that life is short, and our wisdom is way too limited to win victories at other people's expenses. ed's legacy was about triumphing together. our successes in america will never be triumphs tomorrow. it's interesting that ed lee was born on may 5th, 1952, almost 70 years to the day that the chinese exclusion act was signed, may 6th, 1882. what an extraordinary journey this city has been on. it's absolutely right -- what pride in this city when we were standing literally right here, what pride we all felt, what pride the asian community, chinese community must have felt at that moment, after all that history and all that hossl hostility, and all that violence, the first chinese american mayor. the guy dennis kearny, the working man's party, the guy that ended every speech by saying, whatever else we do, the chinese

ed lee was. we were not always diplomatic. ed lee was. he had so many of the wonderful qualities that he would have been easily the head hunters recommended person to fill the job as the mayor. i can see it now as he is hanging out with your father, angela, in heaven and jonathan, with george. and for those of you on burton's side, he's talking to phil about why he would be admitted. he was that kind of advocate. he would, on any given day, do what needed to be done to solve the problem and make it work, and i'm very pleased, anita, that you allowed all of us in the building that ed lee had something to do with restoring following the '89 quake. he was in city government at each of the steps and each of the way. and by the time this building opened, he was running the department of public works, completed the job with harlan and all of the other people that worked on it. ed lee was an unusual human being. it was the saturday before his death, on that early tuesday morning, that he was at the makras's, raising money for a supervisor who wi

san francisco mayor ed lee has died. the city has died.mayor ed lee francisco san . >>> san francisco's first asian american mayor ed lee has died suddenly over night at the age of 65, the mayor died early this morning around 1 a.m. at san francisco's general hospital. good morning. >>> i'm james fletcher a sudden death people taken back by this shocked by the news including kron 4 will tran, unfortunately they could not save his life. i got off the phone with mayor willie brown, devastated like we lost a leader that he last spoke to mayor ed lee on saturday he was up around 1:00 in the morning rushed here and officially announced dead at 1:11 this morning according to mayor willie brown he was up at 1:00 in the morning when he got the phone call from supervisor jane kim. had it not been for jane kim he would not have believed it that as far as he knew mayor ed lee was a model of health, never complained about any health issues then right after he got the phone call from jane kim, from the london breed san francisco's 44t

dianne feinstein writing, i learned of ed lee's death. ncisco and all of us who new ed. my thoughts turn to ed's family. i wish i could give anita a hug and express my sorrow. his quiet management style was effective and allowed him to solve problems as they occurred. my heart is with his family and friends and the city i love. the last time a mayor died in office, dianne feinstein was appointed in 1978 when then mayor george and harvey were assassinated at city hall. >> we have continuing coverage on this breaking story all morning long. on our website, right now, we have posted a photo gallery highlighting his time in office. you can find that at www.nbcbayarea.com. >>> at 6:34, more breaking news overnight. homes burned after a construction fire. at one point, an entire neighborhood was evacuated. >> we broke into regularly scheduled programming to bring this breaking news. this happening off snake road in montclair, a neighborhood in oakland. kris sanchez is live with a look at that aftermath. explain to us what happened here. >> repor

and ed lee was nice. and he, you know, he was a match. >> i think it's an important reminder for all of us, the importance of family and friends. and not to get too wrapped up around things that really don't matter. >> reporter: okay. so hearing about mayor ed lee there from several people. i can tell you at this press conference that acting mayor london breed called him a good man with a good heart and she spoke from the heart today about his influence on her and how dearly he will be missed. we also learned in this press conference a bit of the logistics that will happen after his death. now acting mayor london breed will also continue to be the president of the board of supervisors. so she will have dual roles until june of next year unless the board decides to nominate someone else in the interim to replace mayor ed lee. but we believe that's unlikely and again she will wear both hats for the time being. a somber mood here as everyone kind of wraps up and this press conference has ended just moments a

breaking news -- san francisco mayor ed lee has died... is morning at zuckerberg san francisco general hospital. lee was 65. >>> welcome back. we begin with breaking news. san francisco mayor ed lee has died just before 1:00 this morning at zuckerberg general hospital. lee was just 65 years old. >> it is tuesday, december 12th. i am michelle griego. >> and i am kenny choi. reaction is pouring in from all over the community following the news of lee's death. kpix 5 news' joe vazquez is live with more. >> reporter: kenny, inside the hospital overnight and into the early morning hours it has been a great deal of an outpouring of emotion. staff members and family members have been consoling each other. a lot of tears being shed as they learned the mayor of san francisco ed lee died suddenly overnight. we spoke to the former mayor, willy brown, who tells us mayor ed lee was simply grocery shopping when he suffered a cardiac arrest. >> anita, his wife, had sent him to do his family chores. one of his family chores was to shop for the family at an

ed lee is not a flashy kind of guy.e did not -- >> he is the opposite of his predecessor in a lot of ways, right? >> absolutely. >> gavin newsom and ed lee, not the same style at all. >> gavin newsom with a lot of charisma and really loving the limelight. ed lee not like that at all. very self-effacing, very unassuming. really the bureaucrat that he was used to being did not have the sort of political wizardry like a willie brown, either. so he was sort of the man in the middle, but that's why he had been tapped to fill that interim spot. >> it's easy to forget that mayor ed lee is not from here. he made the bay area his community and san francisco his home to such a large extent, embraced by the community in chinatown, embraced by rose pack who helped convince him to run when he was so reluctant and he broke his promise to the board of supervisors that he would not run as a result of convincing from her and others. born in seattle. the son of immigrants, four out of six children. >> yeah, he was raised in the housing p

>>> remembering ed lee. following the sudden death of san francisco's mayor, we have coverage tonight. >> what kind of work do you want to do? the mayor said i want to focus on education. >> that's just part of a legacy the mayor leaves behind in a city that he loved and served. >> in the months ahead, let's carry on in mayor lee's honor. >> and we take a look ahead at what's next for leadership in san francisco. >>> live where you live. this is abc 7 news. >>> at the end of your life, you want to hear nothing more than this, people said i was a good, decent, honorable man. >> heart felt memories of a man who did more than lead san francisco. ed lee is being remembered as a mayor, family man and friend. >> the unexpected death of ed lee has left the bay area stunned. >> it has. the impact has spread far beyond san francisco and we're going to share some of those stories with you tonight. >> we have coverage showing what a difference this man made. let's begin now with vick lee who is live at city hall. you s

thank you. >>> ed lee was born may 5th, 1952 in seattle, washington. he was appointed mayor of san francisco in january of 2011 when former mayor gavin newsom left to become california's lieutenant governor. mayor lee won election in november of 2011 and then again in november of 2015. lee was san francisco's first asian-american mayor and before becoming mayor he was our city administrator. >> we will keep tracking this for you and send out push alerts on the abc 7 news app. we will speak more about this in just a moment but we want to turn now to meteorologist mike nicco and get you a check of your weather. >> hi natasha, hi reggie, hi everybody and carolyn, too. the east bay hills camera, you can see it's quiet out there, the winds aren't nearly as breezy as the last couple days. our lowest visibility is seven miles but where it's patchy it is dense. black ice could be an issue. here is my accuweather 12-hour day planner. inland in the 30s, the rest in the 40s, 61 to 65 by noon, 62 to 63 at 4:00 with our later sunset at 4:51 and a starry night ahead

the coverage of the death of mayor ed lee continues online. you will find a number of stories and interviews we've had with mayor lee over the many years. we're sharing comments on twitter from everyone from the giants and everyday san franciscans remembering ed lee. find that at ktvu.com. >>> at this moment, let's take a quick moment to check in on the traffic and the weather across the bay area. we will start with steve. >> clear but cold. lots of 20s this morning. we will start to warm up. a lot of reports of frost. the warmest temps in the east. i guess the temperature hit freezing in napa. i sprayed in i plant to protect it from the water drop lets but they seemed to be solid. not surprised. i saw a 29 in napa this morning. kenwood, alexander valley, geyserville, all 29s. many upper 20s throughout much of parts ever marin, sonoma, lake and mendocino county. a few in east bay but not as many. 28 in windsor. 27 in occidental. if you get a puff of a breeze, i saw a 46 because of the breeze. otherwise it will be high and dry here. 30s, 40s and

the board of supervisors in san francisco, stepping into that role, the unexpected passing of mayor ed lee. in the past 15 minutes, i got a chance to speak to former san francisco mayor, willie brown and mayor lee may have passed away from a heart attack. that was not disclosed in the conference. they didn't say that. that is information we are getting from former mayor of san francisco, willie brown. as far as mayor lee, the family members that he is surprised by, his wife anita and his bought daughters, brianna and tania. he was appointed in 2011, re-elected twice. the first asian-american mayor having an impact in san francisco and across the country on a number of issues. we are working to get nor information on this. a developing story, a sad story in san francisco. >> thank you very much, pete. very sad news this morning. >> you know, mayor ed lee, always a busy person. from the tweets he posted just yesterday, excuse me, he was busy up to the end. one of the tweets announced the launch of a pilot program making it easy for residents and businesses to recycle. he took a photograph wi

he's been taking a look at the remarkable life of ed lee. many fingerprints on the city of san francisco. >> particularly in high-tech. remember, he didn't necessarily expect to become mayor. that was where it happened. lee was appointed to mayor's office after san francisco mayor gavin nusome left city hall to go to sacramento and be the lieutenant governor. lee said at the time he didn't want the mayor's job but he would never run for re-election. rose pac for credited pushing him into the election. died in 2015, was a key influencer in san francisco's chinese community, pushing lee to become the first asian american mayor of san francisco. so lee became san francisco's 42ered mayor in january of 2011, appointed, not elected and almost immediately there was pressure on him to stay in the mayor's office. pressure came from voters, came from the chinese community, even the san francisco giants. he won that election in november of 2011, ran again in 2015 and won again. he will certainly be remembered for many things, but one of his biggest civ

shock after the death of mayor ed lee this morning. mayor lee died just after 1:00 at the zuckerberg san francisco general hospital, surrounded by friends and family and colleagues. he is survived by his wife anita, his two daughters, brianna and tania. the boards of supervisors president london breed becomes acting mayor effective immediately. joining us on the phone with his thoughts on mayor ed lee's passing is the kpix 5 news political insider phil matier. >> certainly it was a stunner. mayor ed lee was shopping at the neighborhood safeway when he suffered a massive heart attack and taken to san francisco general and passed in the early morning hours. he was there, the family was alerted and the fire chief, police chief and the board of supervisors and london breed, the president of the board of supervisors now assumes the role of acting mayor. that is a role that automatically goes to the president of the board of supervisors, as it did to dianne feinstein in the wake of the harvey milk and george hamas coney assassinations back in

>> well, ed lee has really been tested in every category.i recall when i introduced him as the new mayor and that is when i reminded everybody he had literally been the best qualified person ever to hold the job, unlike all the rest of us that got elected by our own skills to convince people and to sell people on an idea. ed lee earned that title by demonstration of being an efficient person who could manage a huge enterprise such as san francisco. >> reporter: as we mentioned, almost 30 years at city hall. and let me ask you this. so, he appointed interim mayor. there is a moment there where he is sayings i don't want to run for -- saying i don't want to run for mayor. tell us what happened behind the scenes there because he has now been elected twice since then. >> well, he really did not want to run for mayor, but when he became the interim mayor, newsom's exit, he said he would not run, it became clear to him that the city needed him more than probably anybody else to hold the city together and he eventually changed his mind and did just

the sports world is mourning the loss of san francisco mayor ed lee. the bay area sports scene will look like for decades to come. >> three and four years, i can't believe it. we're in a dream. >> often seen with a smile on his face, ed lee loved bay area sports. the teams were a fan of his too. >> he was a true personal friend of so many people here, but also a great friend of the warriors and in our history will go down as one of the most important people. >> lee's love of sports was real. he helped bring the u.s. open to san francisco. >> it's wonderful. great experience. >> hosted the super bowl. >> welcome to san francisco, the host of super bowl l. >> and lured the golden state warriors from oakland back to the city. he knew the athletes by name. >> you give him an inch and he might take the golden state a mile. >> don't worry, don't worry, he made up for that one. >> number 30 on the court, but number one in the hearts of warri warrior's fans >> he celebrated two world championships. >> i think it's about team work. >> while the team left under

san francisco mayor ed lee has died. the city anno we are beginning to get more reaction as people wake up this morning to hear the news that san francisco mayor ed lee has died at the age of 65 suffering an apparent heart attack last night shopping at a grocery store. and went to the hospital where he was declared to have passed away around 1 am.good morning i am darya folsom. >>> i am james fletcher, that's her big story and as mentioned we have reaction from all quarters of the bay and beyond. joining us, senator scott weiner, before becoming a senator he served on the board of supervisors and interacted with mayor lee, i would imagine fairly regularly, thank you for joining us this morning. >> thank you for having me. >> what are your thoughts, of mayor ed lee, most people remember him as a being jovial and with a smile, what stands out to you personally and professionally?>> i am floored that he is gone. i was just with him yesterday, we did a press conference on the new city recycling program and he was his normal,

thank you very much, melissa. >> the late mayor ed lee had animpress resume. he joined the san francisco asian caucus. he was the head of human rights commission in the 1990s and then the city's public works director and a city administrator. lee won election to a full term as mayor in 2011 and was reelected in 2015. former san francisco mayor willie brown says lee was uniquely qualified for the job. >> he had really been tested in every category. i recall when i introduced him as the new mayor, i reminded everybody he had literally been the best qualified person ever to hold the job. >> despite that he lived modestly with his wife and two daughters in the city's glen park neighborhood. the first job he listed on his twitter profile were husband and father. he assumed office during the recession, a pure democratic expected to hold office temporarily but as kpix explains, lee would serve nearly seven years in office presiding over changes that would reshape san francisco. >> we tend to forget but when mayor ed lee was appointed in 2011, he faced tremendous chall

this is just in from representative congressman eric swallow tweeting about mayor ed lee's death. rest in peace, wishing family peace as they grieve. we will miss ed dearly. he was a friend to all and devoted servant. #san francisco needed during a transitional time. >>> we are following more breaking news. another big story with an overnight fire in oakland hills. the fire started before midnight on snake road. this is a mile from montclair elementary school. some of the video you are seeing here, scary moments for a lot of people in that area. neighbors telling us this started at a home under construction and the fire spread to neighboring homes before it was contained. a dozen residents were briefly sent to an evacuation center. most of the residents have been allowed back home. >>> the massive strike that started tuesday by oakland city workers has been suspended. the two sides met with a mediator. that doesn't mean the problems are over. there's no contract agreement. they are looking for higher raises. they say there's no money for that. the strike could continue at a later d

san francisco mayor ed lee has died. we just got word that he died just after 1:00 this morning at zuckburg hospital. lee was 65, surrounded by friends and family and colleagues. in a communication statement, it was said our thoughts are with his family. now more with what we are learning in the newsroom. joe? >> it is a shocking scene at zuckburg hospital. ed lee, the 43rd mayor of san francisco has died. according to some sources in the hospital speaking with the mayor's staff and supervisor, all the supervisors there now, it is a state of shock. the staff members are in tears. there is a lot of consoling and hugging as mayor lee just announced a few hours ago in the middle of the night. the former mayor willy brown tells me he was told mayor ed lee was shopping at safeway when he collapsed. an ambulance was called. could, to a source there at the hospital now now -- according to a source there at the hospital now, a top official was briefed that the mayor was speaking with paramedics on the way to the hospital, so he w

san francisco mayor ed lee. >> 4:06. we want to look at what's going on with your weather before you head out the door. meteorologist carrie hall has what you can expect. >> 4:07. it is another chilly morning as you get ready to head out the door. as we take a live look outside in san francisco, all clear skies. another cold one. also as we get a live look outside in downtown san jose, christmas in the park, all lit up. into this afternoon, we will have another day with unhealthy air quality, especially in the north bay and the peninsula. moderate air quality for the east bay and the south bay. you should limit your time outdoors, especially if you do have breathing sensitivitsensit. now, we do see these temperatures in parts of the bay area dipping below freezing, especially in the north bay valleys. down to 31 degrees right now in santa rosa. liv livermore at 34. mostly lower 40s for parts of the inner bay and the coast. as we look at the high temperatures today, reaching into the upper 60s to low 70s, another day wher

one man told me that mayor ed lee was all about jobs when he came into office in 2011. hen lee came into office the san francisco unemployment rate was 8.9 percent. in october of this year it was 2.6 percent. i talked with a neighbor who told me the story of why lee moved to san francisco from oakland years ago before he was mayor.then mayor willie brown became aware that here he was about to head a large apartment living across the bay and made it clear to him that he needed to move right now. he called up a friend that he knew and said i understand that you're selling your house and the friend said yes and he said i'm buying it and he said you haven't even seen it and he said i'm buying it and that's how we became neighbors. out here live tonight you can see those signs that still stand and say.tonight at ten more on what others in lee's neighborhood had to say about him. live in san francisco, j.r. stone kron 4 news. (grant) (grant) many politicians are reacting to the mayor's sudden death... amng them...congresswoman anna eshoo... congresswoman eshoo says that very f

ed lee became san francisco's 43rd mayor and the first asian- american mayor in san francisco when he was appointed in 2011 when gavin newsom resigned to become lieutenant governor. mayor lee then won an election in november 2011 and was reelect did in 2015. >> the office received a statement -- is profound sadness and grief that we confirm that mayor edwin m. lee passed away on tuesday, december 12 at 1:11 am at zuckerberg san francisco general hospital. family, friends and colleagues were at his side. our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, and need to, his two daughters, brianna and tania, and his family. the mayor was taken to the hospital last night and died a short time later.>> christien kafton is at the hospital and has been there for hours. many have gathered and heard the news that the mayor was there. >> reporter: they were here earlier this morning. the shocking news broke and people began learning about his passing. it was a very shocking and surprising moment for many people come unaware of what had happened. and then learning it this morning. there is shock on many

ed lee was not a politician. he was a person. that is how most people here at city hall say they will remember him. supervisor london is acting mayor of san francisco. ed was not a politician. he did not always deliver the best sound bite or carry the room with unspoken charisma. flash didn't matter to him. hewas humble and determined. no matter the job he held, he was fair and club rattive. collaborative. >> he was the city's first asian mayor. >> i do solemnly swear. >> known as a champion for the homeless, imgrants and civil right he's was appointed by the then-mayor gavin newsom in 2011 >> i was just in his office. they boxed everything up. you know, just -- so. you know, i mean. >> many of lee's colleagues choked back tears as they reflected on his life and three decades of personal service. >> he was a personal friend of mine and his mayor al ship was extremely important and simm bobbling for me as well as an asian american. >> some criticized him for the city's lack of affordable housing, but he was remembered as a leader f

amber lee had a lot of up close interaction with mayor ed lee. if you are just waking up, san francisco mayor ed lee died this morning a little after 1 am. we're getting more details and a news conference will be held later today, this morning, by the new acting mayor of san francisco, london breed. more on that is coming up. >>> 4:39 am. let's go to steve paulson and get your weather for this tuesday. >>> it's pretty much bottled. there's not a lot going on although it is colder this morning. we lost the higher clouds and the air mass is so dry there is hardly any fog at all. the warmest temperatures will be on the coast. santa clara valley, 70-78 degrees. santa cruz checked in at 78. there were some high clouds in southern california but that is out of the picture. 30s, 40s, 50s -- yesterday was 20s to 60s. peninsula taps, some in higher elevations, los altos, 41. foster city says 37 degrees. if there is any breeze and it's held up, 56 in moss beach. montero is down 10 from this time yesterday. are still a slight easterly or northerly component

. >> mayor ed win m. lee passed away early this morning. >> now mayor made the official announcement late this morning bust those here already knew. this after he held meetings with the staff. their tributes had a common thread. common words to describe what most called a kind, gentle man. >> i'm joined to the kind of leader that's nice. and ed lee was nice. >> he was a mayor who led with compassion. he was an incredibly kind person. >> ed lee always had an open door for any of us. we can call him at any time. >> mayor lee came from humble beginnings. he grew up in public housing. his father a veteran. mother, a seamstress. he never forgot his roots. >> stood up for immigrants. never forgot who he was or where he came from. >> he was quiet. laid back. low key. knew what he needed to do to get the job done. >> his priorities, mourners said were housing, homelessness, jobs and minimum wage. lee had many political battles in his three decades of public service. >> points may have disagreed with him on policy but

you spoke with a man who knew ed lee for 22 years. (j.r.)i did in fact he said willie brown was the one who made it clear to lee that if he was going to head a large department in san francisco he better be living in san francisco, not oakland. what's when he moved 22 years ago.out here this evening there are flowers, candles, and signs to remember ed lee. prayers outside the glen park home where san francisco mayor ed lee lived.sot just like everyone else it's shock and sad i think we lost a great mayor.his neighbor bob who lived next store to lee talked with him just days ago. he said the mayor was tired but it was also late in the evening at the end of what had likely been a long day for lee. sot kinda showing tiredness but not in any impeding.never ended for himneighbors say they would often see mayor lee heading to work in the morning. sotsee him leave his home those who were here praying tuesday night said lee was the mayor of jobs.when he took office in 2011 the unemployment rate was almost 9 percent in san francisco. in october

mayor ed lee has died. more on this raking news and who now leads the city of san francisco. >>> fire overnight in the oakland hills destroyed some homes and damaged others. we will show you why people were forced to evacuate.mornings on 2 continues. >>> good morning and welcome to mornings on 2. tuesday, december 12. i'm dave clark. >> i'm gasia mikaelian. we get back to breaking news we have been following throughout the morning. san francisco mayor ed lee died overnight. >> mayor lee was 65 years old. he died at 1:11 am at zuckerberg san francisco general hospital. former mayor willie brown told us this morning that mayor lee had a heart attack. ed lee became san francisco's 43rd mayor and the first asian- american mayor in san francisco when he was appointed in 2011 when gavin newsom resigned to become lieutenant governor. mayor lee then won an election in november 2011 and was reelect did in 2015. >> the office received a statement -- is profound sadness and grief that we confirm that mayor edwin m. le

i want to talk about ed lee going into this. i first met ed lee 30 years ago. for chinese new year parade. at the end they have the grand stand where all the insiders and high rollers are gathered. ed never got on the stage. he was always on the ground making sure things were running smoothly. he never got on the stage until he was mayor. he was always working. what was your first memory? >> i was an internal working -- intern working in mayor brown's office, mayor's office of neighborhood services. i was responsible for helping with a lot of the clean up projects all over the city. as director of the department of public works he started the community clean up where volunteers from the city and all over the neighborhood would come out and invest in cleaning their communities. >> you know even as mayor he would hop in the car or truck with the head of dpw and they would go together at night sometimes if they had a rough day as a way of relaxing, and they would clean something up. >> that was important to him. he wanted to be sure the streets were clean to the po

on ed lee's role in local sports.. ,$8drw <ed lee> "wow...r world series champions back home in san francisco!"of course the big news today san francisco mayor ed lee passed away this morning after sufferng a heart attacklee presided over two giants world series parade rallies plus numerous other bay area sporting eventshe also helped clear the way for the warriors return to san francisco and there new mission bay areatoday bay area sports teams and figures paid their condolences(wipe to giants tweets) the giants tweeted: "we were deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the sudden passing of mayor ed lee... he was a true san franciscan who devoted his life to serving our great city and to supporting those most in need... he was the giants' number one fan..."we are blessed to have shared so many wonderful memories together... he will be dearly missed by everyone in our organization our thoughts and prayers are with mayor lee's wife anita his daughters brianna and tania and his entire family during this tragic and difficult time."(wipe to 49ers

mayor ed lee isn't just known for humor and grace but his hope for affordable housing. id in what is as his final tweet, we introduced legislation to recoup costs from landlords who illegally house people in safe dwellings. we'll continue to build safe housing at all income levels. >> ed lee was the first asian american mayor and he certainly maintained strong ties with that community. >> he sure did. abc 7 news reporter wayne freedman continues -- >> anyone who traces the history -- the asian law caucus tell the story of a young attorney with a passion. when he left law school, he could have taken a lucrative job working for a major law firm. instead, took minimal wages to represent poor people. >> his former boss at the caucus before politics, a man not surprised by how as he was sworn in, he remembered where he came from and made a pledge. >> that i will do my very, very best to represent all of the communities. >> when those words came from a a chinese american mayor raised by a cook and seamstress in public housing. they felt more sacred. >> it didn't come through i

mourners are stopping by to leave flowers, candles and letters for ed lee. i spoke to gavin newsom just a few minutes ago. he said you want to live like your eulogy and mayor lee did. he is being remembered for being kind, his humility, his deep love for san francisco. >> ed lee was a real person. he was a person that communicated integrity. a love of life. >> in china, san francisco's first chinese american mayor, he was like a superstar. an icon. but to everyone we met and everywhere we went, mayor lee was like beyonce with a mustache. >> ed lee had the qualities of a person whom, if you did an interview of all of the ones that i just spoke about, he would be the only one that would be rated appropriately by the head hunters as to who ought to be mayor. all the rest of us would be considered okay. >> i think if there's any legacy of ed, it's a reminder that life is short. and our wisdom is way too limited to win fleeting victories at other people's expenses. ed's life was about fry triumph together. >> he knew that a measure of his success or any public fi

i will always remember that interaction with mayor ed lee. if you take a look here, you can see motorcycle units arriving to escort mayor lee for one final ride through san francisco. from what we understand at this point they are waiting for some family members to arrive. you can see that we're starting to get a significant police presence here. the motorcycle unit showing up. some lieutenants already showing up as well. and, again, they're saying that they're going to try to work with the family, give the family the space they need and do whatever the family wants at this time. this, though is the same location where we confirmed news this morning about the mayor's death. the city confirmed overnight that mayor ed lee died at 1:11 this morning. the city sending out word by e- mail at 2:30 this morning that the mayor had died. that word coming from the former president of the board of supervisors, now acting mayor, london breed. >> mayor edwin m. lee passed away early this morning, tuesday, december 12th, at 1:11 a.m. at zuckerberg san franci

after san francisco mayor ed lee suddenly dies. thank you for joining us i'm pam moore. (grant) and i'm grant lodes in for steve aveson. lee was rushed to the hospital late last night after collapsing while shopping at his local safeway. tonight we are looking back at lee's bay area legacy..(pam) kron-4's justine waldman begins our coverage live from city hall... justine nats of clappingsot cover he was humble and determined no matter the jobmayor ed lee passed away 1:11 in the morning on tuesday december 12th.surrounded by his friends and family.earlier that evening he collapsed at a safeway near his glen park home and was rushed by ambulance to san francisco general hospital.20- 30 acting mayor london breed / san francisco "everyone agrees our mayor was a good man with a good heart/ what matter to him was helping his fellow san franciscans and occasionally delivering the perfectly timed corny joke." during this time of mourning, flags are at half staff outside city hall.inside the mayors office, large bouquets of flowers rest near his painted portrait.while sadness weig

francisco without mayor ed lee. i participated in helping him become the mayor. i can't imagine the city without ed lee. >> reporter: this afternoon police officers escorted the mayor's body draped with an american flag to a funeral home in daly city. along the rout, firefighters stood saluting on freeway overpasses. as san francisco's first asian american mayor ed lee was an inspiration to many especially in china town where he worked as an activist before becoming mayor. >> the mayor was a tireless activist. >> reporter: the mayor often found himself at odds with progressive and other asian men leaders. - - and other asian leaders. tonight there's a call for unity. >> it's important for us to come together and stand behind the family of mayor ed lee. and expressing my sincere condolences to family, colleagues. >> reporter: ed was not a politician. he did not offer the best sound bite or carry the room with inspoking charisma. i ask for your patient and support and i ask for your prayers. >> reporter: she has a ful

bennett wrote that mayor ed lee himself...was a golden son of san francisco. (spencer)along with sharing memories, tania and brianna lee also announced the formation of the edwin m. lee community fund, which will do things that ed was always trying to do - address homelessness, fight discrimination, and protect the environment.live at san francisco city hall, spencer blake, kron four news. (justine) he was 65. our coverage of the passing of mayor ed lee continues at kron-4 dot com. a photo gallery of lee during his tenure as mayor. and a look back at his life and career.. as well as learn about our acting mayor london breed. all at kron- 4 dot com. (jr stone) a richmond off-duty police officer is currently detained and under investigation by the san francisco police department. (justine) according to authorities, he fired shots inside a hotel and refused to surrender to police. kron 4's camila explains what happened. pkg:dozens of san francisco police officers rushed to the four seasons hotel in just before 5am on sunday2:06:54 units that arrived made contact w

they kind of held hands on top of each other and flipped the switch together. >> many mentioned ed lee's sense of humor. >> i didn't know how corny his jokes were until i went to arlen. he goes do you know that there's a river named after me here? river lee. >> and his ability to work with anyone, even those who criticized him. >> he never held my words against me. he never hesitated. >> reporter: supervisor jane kim says despite the difficulty of working today mayor lee would have wanted them to carry out his mission. >> we will continue to serve and lead in the city to honor his legacy. >> reporter: in san francisco, tiffany wilson, abc 7 news. >>> the mayor collapsed at the safeway he often visited on monterey boulevard. and abc 7 news reporter cornell barnard talked with a woman tonight who was there to comfort mayor lee in his final moments. cornell is live at the safeway with her story. cornell. >> reporter: first we want to show you a small memorial that's been established to honor mayor lee. angela gracela says one moment she was shopping here last night, the next in the middle o

ed lee was my friend. ed lee cared deeply about everybody in this room. ed lee will be missed.f all of us that his legacy lives inside of us and that we. stop to just consider that life is not a game. you know, it's not about being cold or calculated. it's about something so much more ennobling. i hope we can just take the edge off a little bit, not just in this city, but this state and maybe more broadly the nation. try to consider folks that are trying to do the right thing, that wake up every day just trying to add a little value, not impugn their integrity and not try to take them down, try to help lift them up. that's ed's legacy. anita, i'm so sorry. i miss him. i know this is heartbreaking. your kids and entire family, thank you guys for being here from the bottom of my heart. to the staff whose heart is broken, to steve cava and jason, his best friend in the world mohammed, to the staff that is trying to reconcile this. we got your back. you're not on your own. you're part of his family, you're part of this city's family. and to the people of this city, we thank you for

and ed lee was nice. >> he was a mayor who led with compassion. who was an incredibly kind person. >> mayor lee came from hull bl beginnings. he grew up in public housing. his mother a seamstress. >> stood up for immigrants. her in he forgot who he was or where he came from. >> homelessness, jobs, minimum wage, he had many political battles in his three decades of public service. >> points may have disagreed with him on policy. but every one agrees that our mayor was a good man with a good heart. >> at the end of one's life -- >> you want to hear nothing more than this. people said ed was a good, decent and honorable man. this was a good, decent and honorable guy. >> the consensus among those we spoke to here at city hall. abc7 news. >> in honor of the mayor's passing, flags across the city are at half-staff. this was shortly after sunrise today. acting mayor london breeze says all flgs will be at half-staff for the next 30 days. >> we observe a moment of silence. >> transit agencies across the bay area including muni, b.a.r.t. and cal train briefl

she was sworn in after mayor ed lee passed away this morning. she had been the board of supervisors president. city charter dictates that the president become the acting mayor in these situations. this morning she said i know i must assume this responsibility be asked for prayers. let's carry on and mayor the's honor. the city attorney also spoke this morning talking about the path forward and the procedure for filling the vacancy. he said for now, london breed is the acting mayor of san francisco. >> she will have all of those duties at such time as the board of supervisors votes on a successor should they choose to do so although they are not required to do so. in any event, there will be a an election june 5. >> the last time a board of supervisors president was sworn in as mayor because of the death of a sitting mayor was in 1978 when dianne feinstein became the acting mayor after george moscone he was killed. the city attorney was asked if there was any indication whether the board of supervisors now would be acting to appoint someone other

with mayor ed lee's passing ...board of supervisors president, london breed, becomes san francisco's new acting mayorshe is san francisco's first african american woman to take charge of the city.she was first elected to the board of supervisors in 2012 .. and re- elected in 2016.and the board of supervisors elected her as its president twice.as board president ... breed often stood along side mayor lee.her supporters say she has the experience to lead the city. ( darya )in addition to her duties as acting mayor, breed will acting mayor, her duties as in addition to ( darya )in addition to her duties as acting mayor, breed will continue to service as board of supervisors president. ( james ) sierra lamar's killer is going to prison for the rest of his life. antolin garcia torres has been sentenced to life in prison without the possib

to really just honor mayor ed lee. we have to remember san francisco city hall is where the business of the city takes place. you can see people getting married or filing for permits. it is sort of a workhorse building but today it is all pausing as it gets turned over to the ceremony of honoring mayor ed lee. >> you get a feeling of the sense of history. i read a lot of books about history and decide if city hall is always shown in grand ceremonies dating far back at least 100 years back. this is just another chapter. another historic ceremony that will be recorded and we will look at pictures of this one- day and city hall which has been there for 100 years still looks the same. it is very somber and the polk street steps to people who know san francisco have meaning. this is where things happen. >> beginning at 8:00 this morning in the rotunda of city hall, you will have a chance to view the casket of san francisco mayor ed lee. it will be on display and available to the public for last respects until 7:00 tonight.

and they kind of he hands on top of each other and flipped thswitch together. >> many mentioned ed lee's sense of humor. >> i didn't know how corny his jokes were until i went to arlen. he goes do you know that there's a river named after me here? river lee. >> and hisbility to work with anyone, even those who criticized him. >> he never held my words against me. he never hesitated. reporter: supervisor jane kim says despite the difficuy of working today mayor lee would have wted them to carry out his mission. >> we will continue to ser and lead in the city to honor his legacy >> reporter: in san francisco, tiffany wilson, abc 7 news. >>> the mayor collapsed at t safeway he oen visited on monterey boulevar and abc 7 news reporter cornell barnard talked with a wan tonight who was there to comfort mayor lee in his final moments. cornell is live at the safeway with herstory. cornell. >> reporter: first we want to show you a small memorial that's been established to honor mayor le angela gracela says one moment she was shopping here last night, the next in the middle of involving the mayor.g

back to the desk. >> thank you, sal. >>> we return to the reaction of the death of ed lee. >> ed wasician. he did not always deliver the best sound byte or carry the room with unspoken charisma. flash never mattered to him. he was humbled and determined no matter the job that he held. he was fair and collaborative no matter the heat of the moment. >> that was supervisor london breed, now the acting mayor of san francisco. she is among the many people praising ed lee. his colleagues choked back tears as they talked about his life and three decades of public service. >> standing right here seven years ago swearing him in. i was just in his office. and they boxed everything up. so -- you know, i mean -- >> very emotional for gavin newsome. a memorial for ed lee is growing on the steps of san francisco city hall. >> they had great respect for ed lee and are remembering him as a supportive colleague. >> for me personally, a great friend, confidante, a mentor. someone who was truly a regionalist, who not just in his words but in his deeds just constantly showed that we are all interconnect

. >> live in san francisco, there is a growing memorial for the mayor ed lee. >> that is right. a lot of hugs and tears here at city hall today after lee's sudden passing. you can see the growing memorial here behind me. he wasn't your typical politician. he was soft spoken and operated under the radar. no ego and enormous heart and love of san francisco for the people who lived here is what he had. >> supervisor london breed is the acting mayor of san francisco. >> ed was not a politician. he didn't always deliver the best sound bite. flash never mattered to him. disagreements never deterred him. was humbled and determined no matter the job he held. he was fair and collaborative no matter the heat of the moment. >> he was san francisco's firstationan mayor. >> do solemnly swear. >> known as a champion for the homeless and civil rights he was appointed by the then-mayor gavin newsom >> i stood her seven years ago swearing him in. i was just in his office and they boxed everything up. i mean -- >> many of lee's colleagues choked back tears' they reflected on his life and three dec