Asian American Attacks: Victim's Grandson Speaks Out; Suspect Arrested After 2 Women Stabbed In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Police in San Francisco have arrested a man suspected of stabbing older two Asian women -- one who was 85 years old -- in the city's Mid-Market area late Tuesday afternoon.
San Francisco Police Public Information Officer Michael Andraychak confirmed that at approximately 7 p.m., officers from the Tenderloin Station located and arrested a 54-year-old male San Francisco resident suspected in the stabbing on the 600 block of Eddy Street.
Charges against the suspect are pending, police said. There was no confirmation as of Tuesday night whether the suspect was facing a hate crime charge.
KPIX was able to identify one of the victims as 85-year-old Chui Fong Eng, who was seriously injured from stab wounds in the chest and arm. The second victim was in her 60s.
Both women were undergoing surgery at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Tuesday evening. Eng had suffered life-threatening injuries.
Drew Eng is Chui Fong Eng's grandson. He confirmed she was in surgery at Zuckerberg SF General Tuesday night, and the family is praying she pulls through.
In an exclusive interview, he told KPIX 5's Betty Yu that his grandmother finished grocery shopping in Chinatown and was waiting for the bus on Market Street near 4th Street when she was attacked.
"She was on the N Judah, or going on to the N Judah, waiting for it and I guess she was attacked from behind and stabbed through the arm and into the chest," said Eng. "And they had to keep her that way and strap her tight 'til they got to the hospital in the ambulance."
Market Street - typically busy with pedestrians and car traffic - was the scene of a double stabbing just before 5 pm. Police say the other victim was in her 60s.
"She didn't know the other victim, and they were both at the bus stop and both stabbed there," said Eng. "I think the other lady was stabbed first."
Eng and his brother have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help his grandmother cover hospital expenses. In less than a day, it had collected nearly $34,000 in donations of a stated goal of $50,000.
The attack happened in front of several witnesses.
"The assailant walked up to their victim stabbed them and very casually walked away in broad daylight," said Jenny Shao.
Another witness who wanted to remain anonymous, but said she saw the man moments before the attack.
"He got a knife on his right-hand side and he was holding it really tight like he wanted to do something," Lee said. "And before you know he was behind this lady with a black jacket and you saw all the feathers go flying, so he sliced her, she screamed."
Eng added that his grandmother has lived in San Francisco for 50 years, and nothing like this has ever happened to her.
"You just don't think it's going to happen so close to home until it does. So you just got to be super aware of your loved ones," he said.
Tuesday night, District Attorney Chesa Boudin tweeted, "Heartbroken tonight for two elderly AAPI victims of a stabbing on Market. We're awaiting more info & praying for the victims as they undergo medical treatment," adding, "We will not tolerate brutal attacks like this."
Earlier, San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney tweeted that the suspect was in custody just before 7:30 p.m.
Haney called the incident a "disgusting and horrific attack."
Disgusting and horrific attack on Market St this afternoon of two Asian seniors. I've been closely in touch with the SFFD and SFPD. The suspect was just arrested. The victims are at the hospital. #StopTheAttacks #StopAsianHate
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) May 5, 2021
An eyewitness to the stabbing submitted a photo to KPIX of a potential suspect. The picture appears to show a man with a shaved head, wearing a dark colored shirt, blue jeans and wearing black and white sneakers. The man also appears to be carrying a black and green bag.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact San Francisco police by calling 415-575-4444 or texting TIP411, beginning the message with "SFPD".