SAN FRANCISCO -- Investigators were searching for suspects in connection with a fatal shooting in San Francisco's Bayview District early Saturday morning of man connected to a series of robberies that took place , a police spokesman said.

Kerry Dawson, 24, was apparently sitting in the driver's seat of a Ford Fusion at the intersection of Revere Avenue and Hawes Street at around 1:15 a.m. when he was shot multiple times, San Francisco police Officer Albie Esparza said.

Dawson, who police believe was shot 12 to 15 times based on shell casings found at the scene of the shooting, managed to drive about 3 blocks before he crashed. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 1:45 a.m.

A preliminary investigation indicated that bullet shells came from .38- and .45-caliber handguns, Esparza said.

Dawson was a known gang member and the homicide was being investigated as a gang-related killing, Esparza said.

No arrests have been made as of noontime, he said.

Dawson was one of two men arrested for at least two robberies that occurred in the Bayview District in September 2007. Dawson was arrested on Sept. 29, 2007, while his alleged partner in the robberies, Daniel Dennard, was arrested on a $1 million warrant two weeks later in Daly City.

Anyone with possible information regarding the shooting of Dawson was asked to call the San Francisco police tip line at (415) 575-4444. Tips can also be texted to TIPS411.