A woman in San Francisco has been captured on camera leaning out of a window while brandishing an AK47, police have revealed.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) revealed in a press release on Friday that the shocking image was taken during “an illegal exhibition of speed event” on 11 July.

According to the department, a passenger was seen leaning out of a Cadillac holding an AK47. The incident in question took place on Barneveld and McKinnon.

A photograph shared to their social media shows what appears to be a woman with long brown hair wearing a black hoodie while holding the intimidating firearm.

Another photograph shared by the department showed the vehicle being towed away by police officers.

“Traffic Company personnel worked up a case, and seized this particular vehicle today,” police said in the statement.

The post did not specify whether anyone had been arrested in connection with the incident. The identity of the person in the photograph has not been released.

KRON reports that an exhibition of speed is a crime related to speed contests under the California Vehicle Code 23109.

According to Shouse California Law Group, an “exhibition of speed” is the acceleration of a motor vehicle to a dangerously high rate of speed, “often done for amusement or to draw the attention of bystanders”.

In June, a federal appeals court delayed a judge’s controversial move to overturn California’s decades old assault weapons ban.

The Independent has contacted SFPD for further comment.