SFPD Responds to Incident Involving Knife Wielding Subject 18-141
On Friday October 26, 2018 at approximately 1015 AM, San Francisco police officers from Southern Station responded to the 100 block of 4th Street for a report of a male cursing and jabbing a knife toward people. Officers arrived on scene and observed a subject waving a knife and yelling incoherently. The incident occurred in a downtown area known for its high pedestrian traffic. Several public and private events were taking place nearby.
Officers developed a plan of action in accordance with their Crisis Intervention Training. A sergeant assumed command and designated officers’ roles, including less lethal cover and a hands-on arrest team.
The subject did not respond to verbal commands to drop the knife. Officers devised a plan to subdue the subject. One officer tackled the subject from behind while others assisted in restraining him on the ground, where an officer delivered knee strikes to disarm the subject. A knife was recovered. The subject was then placed in handcuffs and taken to an area hospital for evaluation. One officer sustained minor injuries.
All officers activated their body worn cameras during the incident. As with any incident involving a use of force, a supervisory evaluation will be conducted to ensure that the use of force was within policy.