Man Admits To Dumping Water On Homeless Woman From San Francisco Rooftop
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- Just as San Francisco police have opened a formal investigation into the case of the man who poured a bucket of water from a roof on a homeless woman, a San Francisco artist appears to have taken responsibility for the action.
Don Soker, whom KPIX 5 first interviewed Wednesday night, posted the following comment Friday afternoon in a Facebook conversation about the incident:
"I was told by a visitor to my business that she was harassed by the woman camping directly next to the building door. When I asked her to move I was roundly cursed. Forget calling police or 311 so what's so bad about a cold shower on a hot day? Also I have never done this before and she simply moved down to the next building."
Soker was responding to a barrage of questions from fellow artists who were outraged at his behavior. He commented again a short time later:
"I think I have stirred up the biggest hornet's nest in SF. The confrontation between the hypocritical, fascist, former liberal gentrifiers against the people who failed to make money, and I don't mean the homeless."
SFPD spokesman Joseph Tomlinson said he will be sending the message to investigators on the case, and appealed for more evidence.
"The SFPD is conducting an investigation into the incident at 20th Street and Bryant Street," Tomlinson said. "We are asking for the public's assistance in identifying any parties involved so we can move forward with the investigation."
Jennifer Friendenbach with the Coalition on Homelessness released a statement that said:
"We demand a public apology from Mr. Soker and payment of damages to the women he terrorized with water buckets. Whether that's a gracious offer of temporary housing or financial support, it would go a long ways in demonstrating his remorse to a horrified community, but ultimately once the woman is located she can request appropriate damages."
Soker did not respond to phone messages left on his voicemail on Thursday and Friday.
On Wednesday, Soker told KPIX 5 he did not know who was responsible: "I don't know who it was," he said. "Probably it was some people from the place next door who were doing some work on the roof," said the man, who did not want to be identified. "Because they also had access to it."
The landlord of the property and maintenance person have since told KPIX 5 no roofing work was being performed this past weekend.