SFPD release video of person of interest in homicide case
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco police are asking the public’s help in identifying a person of interest in a homicide case where an elderly man was punched December 5, 2015 and who later died of his injuries. Police released a video of the person of interest on Monday, showing him walking in the area of Market and Van Ness near the scene of the crime.
According to police, the 74-year-old victim, identified by the medical examiner's office as Stuart Jackson, was standing at the bus stop around 2 p.m. at the intersection of Van Ness Ave. and Market Street.
Police said a suspect approached the victim and began to assault the victim without provocation. During the assault, the victim fell and struck his head on the cement. The victim was taken to the hospital where he later died of his injuries on December 13.
Although a suspect has not been identified, police are seeking a person of interest in the case.
The person of interest, seen in the video is described as male, black, mixed race or Hispanic is about 25-35 years old, 6’ tall with a muscular build.
You can see video of the person of interest here.
The victim is a fixture in the North Beach neighborhood, where he lived as a sketch artist.
"It's scary and it's awful,” said Joanna Lioce, a friend of Jackson's. She says she met Jackson eight years ago at Vesuvio Cafe in North Beach, where she's the manager, and that he’s was a regular patron.
"The fact that it happened to this completely harmless man, an older man who couldn't defend himself even if he tried I'm sure, was just really sad,” she added.
Jackson’s observations of people were captured in his sketches.One of his subjects is his friend Dean Volker.
"He sketched incredibly fast. We weren't talking all that long and he captured it," said Volker as he showed one of Jackson's sketches.
Volker described the sketch of himself and a friend talking in a cafe as precious; symbolic of Jackson's interaction with people in the neighborhood.
"He showed me the sketch he had done of me just then...just to say I see you. It's nice to see you. I was just delighted and that's the last time I saw him," said Volker.
Police hope the surveillance video will help them solve what they call a heinous random act of violence.
"At the end of the day, if this person did it once, they can do it again. We want to make sure we can prevent another incident like this," said SFPD Officer Carlos Manfredi.
Friends described Jackson as a quiet, unassuming man. They say he lives on in his artwork. Some of his pieces are displayed at the businesses he supported.
"That he's gone now is a real loss. I feel very touched that he captured me as a moment of the time I knew him in the neighborhood," said Volker.
The new developments in the investigation give people hope.
They're planning a memorial in honor of Stuart Jackson in the coming weeks.
Anyone with information on this crime or the person of interest is asked to contact the Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444, or Text-a-Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.