An elderly man in a wheelchair was fatally stabbed aboard a Muni bus in SF’s Bayview District near the edge of Bernal Heights on Sunday afternoon. The suspect was arrested nearby and is now in custody.
As SFGate reports, the attack occurred around 4:35 pm near Bayshore Boulevard and Cortland Avenue, just outside the Bernal Heights neighborhood.
According to police, an altercation broke out on the bus shortly before the stabbing. The victim, who was seated in a wheelchair, was found by responding officers with a life-threatening stab wound. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and later died from his injuries, according to KGO.
The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Daniel Garcia, allegedly fled on foot after the bus pulled over. Officers later found him hiding behind parked vehicles in the area and took him into custody. Garcia was booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse, as reported by KRON4. He is being held without bail.
A witness posted details of the account on Reddit:
Comment
byu/Dry-Season-522 from discussion
insanfrancisco
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) issued a statement condemning the violence and expressing sympathy for the victim’s loved ones. “Yesterday’s senseless act of violence is tragic, and our hearts are with the victim and their loved ones,” the agency said. “Criminal activity of any kind will never be tolerated on Muni.”
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from the bus and nearby businesses. SFMTA has not confirmed which route was involved, though the 9, 9R, and 23 lines operate in the area.
This marks the second stabbing on public transit in the Bayview District in recent months. In March, a woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed aboard a Muni light rail train on 3rd Street.
Anyone with information about the attack is urged to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with “SFPD.”
Image: Dllu/Wikimedia
Previously: Woman Stabbed In the Neck on Muni Train In SF's Bayview