Muni rider pulls out Taser, spouts anti-Asian slurs at teen
SAN FRANCISCO - A 14-year-old student said he witnessed a disturbing incident on a Muni bus last Wednesday afternoon in San Francisco.
The teen said a male passenger went on a racist rant and pulled out a Taser on a bus filled with people.
Soon after boarding the 29 bus on his way home from Lowell High School, the Vietnamese-American student stood just a few feet away from a man sitting at the back of the bus.
"He was screaming multiple racial slurs against Asians using the ‘C’ slur. He said things like ‘these people are ruining America, and they should go back to their country,’ "said the teen. "I felt pretty shocked, but at the same time, I felt pretty fearful. I didn't want to do something that would trigger him or offend him."
The student said a Latina teenager and a young Caucasian woman tried to intervene, and the situation escalated.
"At one point, he pulled out a Taser, pointed it at her and when he turned it on, it was really loud. it caused a lot of people to scream and run out," said the teen.
The Muni driver pulled over along Sunset near Taraval.
The teen said he ran off the bus and hid behind a tree.
The bus driver called 911 but police officers who responded did not locate the man who caused the chaos.
Liz Le, the teen's mother, said she and her son are speaking out to raise awareness.
"I think it's the only way to to prevent it from happening to someone else. Right now, the suspect is still at large," said Le.
A SFMTA spokesperson said the agency does have surveillance video of the incident and has turned it over to police.
SFMTA issued a statement that said in part,"we do not tolerate crime, harassment and attacks of hate on Muni, and we thank the riders who reported this to us, as quickly reporting incidents of crime and harassment helps us begin our investigation immediately and help SFPD identify a suspect."
The teen said he's grateful to the good Samaritans who tried to intervene.
"They were pretty brave for doing that and I respect them a lot," he said.
He described the man with the Taser as being African American, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs 115 to 120 pounds and has close cropped hair. He wore a red leather jacket, skinny black jeans and black-framed glasses.
Police said they are investigating this case and declined to release the surveillance video or an image of the suspect.
The teen said despite the traumatic experience, he got back on the 29 bus the next day, the line he's been riding daily for the past year going to and from school.
His mom is asking anyone who would like to volunteer to chaperon the bus route or any witnesses to the incident to email her: elizle@gmail.com
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.