Allison Michelle Sparrow, born Allison Michelle Deming on October 24, 1982, was found unresponsive in her tent near a homeless encampment at 16th and Harrison streets at about 6:30 a.m. on December 18 and was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where she later died. An autopsy was outstanding and the death was being investigated as a homicide; police did not comment on the specific circumstances. Relatives say they were told Sparrow may have been the victim of a random drive-by shooting.

Sparrow had lived in the encampment with her partner after becoming homeless around early 2015. Friends and camp residents described her as creative and warm — a self-taught seamstress, jewelry maker and musician who sold handmade goods at flea markets and on Etsy, and who kept close ties with family and friends from earlier years in San Francisco. A funeral service was held in Palm Springs, Florida, where she spent most of her childhood.

Many who knew Sparrow emphasized her generosity and calling to create, and also noted that the last two years of her life were marked by significant struggles. What happened the morning she was found remains the central open question; anyone who knew Sparrow or has information about the incident is asked to come forward.