Two Asian American Passengers Attacked in Separate Incidents on SF Muni Buses

May 11, 2021

Two Asian American victims were attacked in separate incidents while riding San Francisco’s Muni buses in the Tenderloin District on May 9, local authorities revealed.

Isolated assaults: The attacks, which have so far resulted in the arrest of one suspect, are being investigated by San Francisco police as separate incidents from each other, reported KPIX.

An Asian woman suffered a split lip after she was allegedly hit in the face for no reason by a male passenger as she was boarding the Muni 38 Geary Express bus before 9 a.m.
The bus driver prevented the suspect from further hurting the victim, got him off the bus and called the police.
It was not reported if her injuries required treatment or if her attacker was arrested.
The second attack happened to a 55-year-old Asian man riding a bus near the intersection of O’Farrell and Van Ness before 12:30 a.m.
The male victim said he got into a verbal argument with a passenger who then punched him in the face. He lost consciousness and was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.

Suspect arrested: The suspect from the second incident, later identified as Andre Smith, 29, was apprehended by responding police officers on the 700 block of Polk Street and booked at San Francisco County Jail.

Smith is now facing charges of assault likely to cause great bodily injury, aggravated battery, elder abuse, elder neglect and battery.
Finding no connection between the two assaults, authorities believe race did not appear to be a motivating factor in Smith’s case.

It was just last week when two elderly Asian women were stabbed as they were waiting for a Muni bus on Market Street, leaving both with serious injuries that required surgery, NextShark previously reported. Patrick Thompson, 54, was arrested in relation to the crime and is now facing charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse, making his first court appearance Monday, reported SF Examiner.

Featured Image via Transit Routes

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