UCSF Med Student Dies From Injuries In San Francisco SoMa Nightclub Brawl
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A fourth-year medical student at the University of California at San Francisco who was injured in a brawl at a South of Market nightclub over the weekend has died, police said Wednesday.
Joe Hernandez, 30, suffered head injuries in the first of two fights at Temple nightclub early Sunday, police said.
Hernandez, who is originally from San Bernardino County, was enrolled in the UCSF School of Medicine at the time of his death.
He completed his undergraduate work at California State University at San Bernardino, where he received a degree in biochemistry, UCSF School of Medicine Dean Sam Hawgood said.
Police were called to the nightclub at 540 Howard St. at about 1:20 a.m. on a report of a fight inside the club.
Officers found Hernandez unconscious on the floor inside the club, police said. He had apparently been struck in the head with an object.
He had been on life support since the incident, but police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said police were told by the medical examiner's office that Hernandez died Tuesday.
San Francisco General Hospital spokeswoman Rachel Kagan said Wednesday morning that Hernandez was still at the hospital.
"He is here at the hospital and awaiting donation of his organs," she said.
The case was being investigated as San Francisco's fifth homicide of 2011, police said.
Another man, age 26, suffered minor injuries in the fight in which Hernandez was wounded, police said.
The suspects, described as Asian males approximately 25 years old, fled the scene, police said.
About 20 minutes after that first fight, another fight broke out outside the club. Police said two men, ages 25 and 34, were stabbed with broken bottles by three Asian males who then fled.
Those victims' injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
No arrests have been made.
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