San Francisco Muni riders concerned about their safety
SAN FRANCISCO -- Recent acts of violence, including a stabbing aboard a bus Monday, have further escalated concerns of riders over their safety while using San Francisco's pubic transit system.
San Francisco police are investigating the stabbing on a Muni bus near Union Square early Monday evening that left a juvenile victim with life-threatening injuries.
Update: Youth injured in stabbing on SF Muni bus recovering; 1 juvenile arrested
According to investigators, officers were flagged down around 4:41 p.m. at the intersection of Stockton and Sutter streets. Witnesses told investigators an altercation broke out on the bus between multiple juveniles.
Multiple suspects were detained, police said, who may have been involved in the assault.
The stabbing was just the latest incident on the public transit lines. In 2021, SFMTA found a rise in assaults and other crimes on Muni.
- Last August, a shooting left one passenger dead and another injured in the city's Sunnydale neighborhood.
- In June, a gunman killed one person and wounded another on a train at the Castro station.
- In January, police arrested teen suspected of assaulting elderly woman on Muni bus.
- Last month, a man was caught on video throwing eggs at passengers after going on an anti-Asian rant.
Rebecca Siefert was on her way to work Monday when she watched officers investigating the stabbing.
"Right as I was walking up Stockton to come here, I immediately saw a lot more cops than usual, a lot of commotion," she said. "What I did see was a young man on the ground, he probably seemed to be about 13 maybe 14 and he was being arrested and read his Miranda rights."
Siefert said she takes Muni everyday.
"Especially as a woman, a lot of us when we're traveling alone, we kind of adopt this cold demeanor and I think it's kind of important to look like you know what you're doing, don't look lost," she said.
Barry Keane moved to the city for work from Ireland last year. He rides Muni often.
"For the most part good it can be sketchy at times, you want to have your wits about you," he said. "I've definitely seen arguments happen and things like that."
"I've had a few instances of feeling harassed but mostly it's okay, it hasn't stopped me."
As for Monday's stabbing, investigators were still trying to unravel the timeline of the assault. No arrests have been made, but additional information was expected to be released on Tuesday.
