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2 charged in assault on Mayor Lurie's security detail
Two suspects were charged in an alleged assault on San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's security detail.
SAN FRANCISCO - Charges were filed Monday against two men accused of attacking San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s security detail last week.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said her office charged Tony Phillips and Abraham Simon in connection with the assault, which occurred Thursday evening in the Tenderloin.
Phillips was charged with resisting an officer and causing great bodily injury. Simon was charged with obstructing an officer.
Both suspects are expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
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2 suspects arrested after SF mayor's security officers injured in Tenderloin attack; Lurie unharmed
Two officers assigned to San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie's security detail were injured Thursday night in an altercation in the city's Tenderloin District. The mayor was not injured, but the security officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Both men have prior criminal histories. Phillips was previously arrested on suspicion of murder in 2019 in connection with a fatal fight. Jenkins said those charges were later dropped by former District Attorney George Gascón’s office.
The injured San Francisco police officer is expected to recover.
Lurie said he hopes the suspects will be held accountable.
"I’m going to continue to be in our neighborhoods and out on the streets, and our administration will keep working hard to hire more law enforcement officers, drive down crime, and tackle the city’s behavioral health challenges," he said in a statement.
Tenderloin scuffle
The backstory:
The incident occurred around 5:40 p.m. Thursday after the mayor’s vehicle was reportedly blocked near Cedar and Polk streets along the edge of the Tenderloin.
Police said officers assigned to the mayor’s security detail were involved in an altercation with two men and requested backup. Lurie was not involved in the physical confrontation.
Louis Wong, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, praised the mayor's security detail, saying they acted "swiftly and courageously," calling the situation "dangerous and unpredictable."
"We are thankful for the rapid response of additional SFPD officers who quickly arrived on scene to assist and bring the situation under control," Wong said.
Videos show struggle
Dig deeper:
Mission Local reported that three people initially blocked Lurie’s vehicle and that the mayor asked them to move. One person initially complied but later became involved in a confrontation with a member of the mayor’s security detail, leaving the officer bloodied.
Video published by the outlet shows the security officer being taken to the ground during the struggle.
The San Francisco Chronicle later reported on a longer video of the altercation, posted on TikTok and appearing to show security camera footage. While Lurie publicly described the incident, the video appears to show a member of his security detail shoving Phillips before Phillips takes the officer to the ground headfirst.
Jenkins said words were exchanged before the altercation, but declined to specify what was said.
In the video, Phillips appears to try to move past the officer, who shoves him into trash on the sidewalk. Phillips then swings at the officer, and the two become entangled.
Lurie is seen stepping back and eventually walking away as the struggle continues. A second officer runs in to assist but is briefly blocked by Simon before Simon backs away.
Additional officers arrive shortly afterward to bring the situation under control.
The Source: This story was written based on information from District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, along with previous reporting;