Assailants drag man off San Francisco Muni bus at gunpoint

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- Police investigators in San Francisco on Thursday were looking for multiple suspects after a man was pulled off a Muni bus and robbed at gunpoint by a group of young men.

San Francisco police investigators said the victim caught the late-night 91-Owl at 5th Street and Market. A group of young men between the ages of 16 and 20 also got on the bus. The victim and the group of men rode on the bus and arrived at the intersection of Santos Street and Velasco Avenue in Visitacion Valley at about 4 a.m.

San Francisco police officer Albie Esparza told KTVU that's where the attack began.

"The victim was pushed off the bus by the group of 7 male suspects," said Esparza. "Once on the street the victim was pushed down to the ground," explained Esparza.

Esparza said that one man pulled a gun and a second brandished a knife as they robbed the victim.

"Essentially took his backpack, his belongings, so he had his cell phone, his wallet, cash," said Esparza.

The attackers then ran up a path and next to an apartment building where one resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she heard the young men talking about stealing the man's wallet.

Police said they are reviewing video evidence from the bus trying to identify the men.

"We will be reviewing the video to see if we can identify who these suspects are," said Esparza. "What we have is 7 suspects who are all outstanding, all wearing dark clothing and 2 were armed with weapons."

Muni spokesman Paul Rose said the victim was able to re-board the bus and notify the driver he'd been robbed.

"Be vigilant, when you're on Muni, just as you would be on city streets," said Rose. "And alert the operator if you think anything is out of the ordinary, or call 911 if you're in immediate danger."

The suspects face robbery and kidnap charges.