SFPD ask help locating 2 men seen in Muni bus attack
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco police are asking for help in locating two men seen attacking an older man on a Muni bus.
Investigators released surveillance video of the attack on Tuesday, saying they want to catch the suspects as soon as possible.
The attack happened on the 14 Mission bus as it was traveling inbound and stopped at Mission and 6th Streets.
The video shows two young men repeatedly attacking the victim at the back of the bus and near the rear door.
On November 3rd at 1:45 a.m., a 55-year-old man whom police are not identifying , got into an argument with two men.
Police say the victim suspected the two suspects were trying to rob other passengers on the bus. The argument escalated.
"They're trying to take him off the bus now so they can beat him up. He's not going," said Officer Carlos Manfredi as he showed KTVU the surveillance video.
Then the second suspect gets back on the bus and is seen hitting and kicking the victim.
"Had he gotten off the bus with these two suspects, they would have really ended up hurting him," said Officer Manfredi.
The video shows the shorter of the two suspects, wearing the blue baseball cap, getting on and off the bus four times, coming back each time to attack the victim.
The 55-year-old victim manages to hold his own as he defends himself. He takes off his jacket. The shorter suspect steals it.
At one point, a man wearing a SFMTA vest, who appears to be the bus driver, walks up and walks away— police say presumably to call for help.
It is not clear why the bus driver didn't close the doors.
"We'd like to make an arrest and identify who these two criminals are because if they did it to this one male, they're going to do it again," said Officer Manfredi.
One woman who lives nearby tells KTVU she rides Muni daily and is constantly worried about her safety and about her belongings getting stolen.
"I'm watching everywhere; who's sitting next to me like that," said Swasti Sharma, a Muni passenger.
Other passengers say they're careful and alert.
"I usually sit up front and I just pay attention and I don't wear headphones or talk on my phone," said Tim Hermes, a Muni passenger.
Police are asking the public to take a good look at the video to help them catch the two suspects.
One is 5’2”, the other, 5'9". They are described as ages 20 to 25. Police say that there's no tolerance for violence on Muni.
"We need to send a very strong message that you're being watched and we will identify you through the help of the public and we will bring you to justice," said Officer Manfredi.
The victim who suffered punches to his head was taken to SF General Hospital where he was treated and released.
The suspects face felony assault and battery charges.