CHP officer stabbed in San Francisco expected to survive

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A veteran California Highway Patrol officer is expected to survive after being slashed in the throat and stabbed multiple times by a suspect in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood Tuesday morning, CHP and police officials said.

The incident occurred after the CHP initially got a report around 9:30 a.m. of a pedestrian on the Essex Street on-ramp to eastbound Interstate Highway 80 and the Bay Bridge, CHP Cmdr. Christopher Sherry said.

About 10 minutes later, two CHP officers encountered someone near a homeless encampment along the on-ramp. The suspect attacked the officers and then fled, with one of the officers stopping his pursuit of the suspect after realizing his partner had been hurt, Sherry said.

The CHP officer was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with "pretty significant" life-threatening injuries, Sherry said. He added that the officer is expected to survive. By Tuesday evening CHP had tweeted that the officer was out of surgery and was in "stable condition". 

The officer is a seven-year veteran of the CHP, he said.

"This type of incident just really shocks us," said Sherry, who spoke to reporters outside the hospital's emergency room.

A suspect was later detained at a Wells Fargo Bank at Fourth and Brannan streets and a knife was found in the parking lot there, San Francisco police Officer Albie Esparza said.

SFPD identified the suspect as 44-year-old, Noel Corpuz. Corpuz was said to be an Asian male and was described as homeless. He was booked at County Jail for attempted murder, aggravated assault, and resisting arrest, according to police. 

San Francisco police are continuing to investigate the stabbing and said there were numerous witnesses to the incident.