Nation Wood, 25, a former advance security staffer who provided support to Biden White House operations, faces an involuntary manslaughter charge following the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Samantha Katherine Emge inside a San Francisco apartment.
The shooting took place on the night of Mar. 24 inside a residence located in San Francisco’s Sunset District.
San Francisco Police Department officers responded to the residential shooting at approximately 10:43 p.m. local time. A live round discharged, sending a bullet through the wall and killing 22-year-old Samantha Emge.
Only Wood and Emge occupied the apartment at the time of the shooting.
Emge was found suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Homicide investigators developed probable cause and took Wood into custody early the following morning. He was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter.
Court records show that Wood pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Mar. 27.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Christopher Hu set bail at $300,000, according to local outlet KNTV.
Wood’s public defender Doug Welch requested his client’s release to a relative’s custody and said Wood had a pending National Guard commitment.
Should Wood post bail, he must submit to electronic monitoring and cannot leave California without court approval. A passport forfeiture hearing is scheduled for April 9.
Wood’s public defender described the incident as a “horrific accident” and stated that his client intends to cooperate fully with authorities throughout the legal process.
A source familiar with the investigation told KNTV that Wood informed police he had been dry-firing a handgun inside the apartment and did not realize the weapon was loaded.
The bullet reportedly passed through a wall and struck Emge while she was in the bathroom. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told the San Francisco Standard that the probe remained in its earliest stages, stating, “This is a very fresh investigation.”
San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong, whose district covers the Sunset area, noted in a statement to the San Francisco Standard that early information suggested the shooting was not intentional.
Emge was a 2025 graduate of San Francisco State University, where she earned a degree in interior design.
She had been working at a design firm in San Francisco at the time of her death.
Reports indicate that she and Wood were in a relationship and had traveled together to Yosemite National Park in June.
Wood attended San Francisco State University for less than two years and worked part-time on event and travel planning for the White House between November 2023 and July 2025.
On his LinkedIn profile, he identified himself as an independent pre-event site security advisor.
The New York Post reported that his listed duties included external advisory site security assessments for events with VIP attendance, site walkthroughs, and coordination alongside U.S. Secret Service personnel for senior government officials.
