Tenderloin Crime & Safety: Self-Inflicted Shooting, Taxi Driver Kidnapped, Group Attacks & More

Tenderloin Crime & Safety: Self-Inflicted Shooting, Taxi Driver Kidnapped, Group Attacks & MorePhoto: Brittany Hopkins/Hoodline
Brittany Hopkins
Published on February 08, 2016

While we don't report on every crime, we do our best to keep you informed of major crimes and safety concerns in the neighborhood. Here's a selection of crimes reported around the Tenderloin over the past three weeks. All details are pulled from the SFPD's daily crime recaps, unless otherwise noted.


Woman In Wheelchair Dies After Seventh & Market Collision

As we reported this weekend, 38-year-old Thu Phan, who was struck by a car making an illegal left turn at Seventh and Market on Jan. 5th, died of her injuries this weekend. Her family is planning a mid-week memorial service in Stockton.

The SFPD's Traffic Collision Investigation Unit is investigating, Officer Albie Esparza told us this morning. If the department and the District Attorney agree to cite the driver, it would be for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

Man Stabbed Outside The Cellar Nightclub Dies; Suspect Arrested

As we reported last week, a 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the stabbing death of 29-year-old Joseph Razo, a local DJ and data analyst for Apple.

Another Nightclub Stabbing

A 32-year-old man was pepper-sprayed and stabbed around 1:45am Jan. 24th after leaving a nightclub on the 100 block of Ellis Street. Two women in their 20s approached the victim outside the nightclub (presumably Infusion Lounge). One suspect pepper-sprayed the man while the other stabbed him. The victim was transferred to the hospital with a minor cut on the neck. Neither suspect was apprehended.

Shootings

A man shot himself in the leg around 2:15am Feb. 2nd at O’Farrell and Taylor streets. The victim, 19-21 years of age, was in a confrontation with two unidentified men when he pulled out a gun and shot at the ground, resulting in a gunshot wound on his own right thigh. He was transported to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury and no arrest was made. 

A man was shot in the back around 7:30pm Jan. 23rd at Fulton and Hyde streets. The victim, a 40-year-old man, was in a conversation with a man age 20-30. When the victim turned away, the suspect shot him in the back. The victim was transported to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. The suspect was not apprehended.

Kidnapping & Robbery

A 63-year-old taxi driver was held hostage and robbed around 4:30am Jan. 24th at Post and Jones. The suspect, a 49-year-old woman, got into the taxi and was driven to Seventh and Market to buy drugs. The male victim then took the suspect to Lombard and Pierce. Threatening the victim with a pair of scissors, the suspect forced him out of the driver's seat and took over driving, with the victim still in the car. At some point, the victim jumped out of the vehicle in search of assistance. The suspect fled the vehicle as well, taking some of his property with her. After the victim drove to the police station and reported the crime, officers were able to locate and arrest the suspect.

Assaulted & Robbed

A 24-year-old woman was punched in the face and robbed just after 1am Feb. 4th at Cyril Magnin and Eddy St. The unidentified suspect ran up and punched her in the face, causing her to hit her head on the ground and lose consciousness. The suspect then took her purse and fled. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. While no arrest was made, her purse was later recovered.

At 8pm Feb. 4th in the same location, a 55-year-old man suffered critical injuries following an argument that turned physical. The suspect, a 25-year-old man, was arguing with the victim and punched him in the face. The victim fell, hit his head on the ground and lost consciousness. The suspect rifled through the victim's pockets, took unknown items and fled. The victim was later transferred to the hospital in critical condition.

A 29-year-old man was jumped by six suspects while walking at 2:30am Feb. 7th on the 900 block of Market Street. All six suspects approached from behind, punched and kicked the victim, then took his mobile phone from his hand and fled. None of the suspects were apprehended.

A 60-year-old woman was assaulted and robbed at 9:30pm Feb. 6th at the ATM on the first block of Powell Street. Before the victim could complete her transaction, the suspect — a man in his early to mid 20s — pushed her from behind, withdrew money from her account and fled on foot. No arrest was made.

Around 12:30pm Jan. 21st, a server at a cafe on the 1200 block of Market Street was assaulted and robbed. The suspect, a 30-year-old man, blocked the cafe door and punched the server, a 32-year-old man, in the face while he was trying to get the man to leave. Before leaving, the suspect took cash out of the server's front pocket. No arrest was made.

Bikejacked

A 36-year-old man was robbed of his bicycle around 2:30am Feb. 2nd. The victim was walking his bike on the 400 block of Eddy St. when six men approached and asked for it. The victim gave up the bike but got into a fight with two of the suspects. After one of the suspects punched and knocked him down, they stole more property from him and fled. None of the suspects were arrested.

SFPD Solves Mystery Behind Torso Found In Suitcase South of Market

One year after finding the severed torso of a Vallejo man in a suitcase dumped South of Market, the SFPD believes they've solved the case.

With the court's approval to search the cellphone of their only suspect — Mark Andrus, a longtime friend and former roommate of the victim who actually died just days after being held and questioned by police — they've found evidence that he and the Omar Shahwan, the victim, checked into the Aldrich Hotel on Jones Street together just days before the body was found. 

While the room the pair shared showed no signs of a homicide by the time it was searched, the SFPD also found evidence that Andrus shopped for hand saws and power tools and searched for how to “cut up meat” online via his phone.

Tenderloin Station's community meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month, from 6pm-7:30pm, at Tenderloin Police Station (301 Eddy St.).