As New York City reportedly seeks to prosecute a former U.S. Marine who intervened when a violent, mentally unstable criminal began threatening people, the dangers strap-holders have to deal with on public transportation are not reserved to the Big Apple alone.
In San Francisco, another Democrat-run city, a passenger on a Bay Area Rapid Transit train was attacked by a man with a “cleaver-style knife” who wanted his backpack, according to the BART Police Department.
The suspect, identified as Charles Johnson from San Francisco, was arrested after trying to flee the train with the victim’s backpack.
Cool, cool, just a guy with a clever chasing people through trains on @SFBART.
— James Temple (@jtemple) May 10, 2023
“BART Police Officers arrested a suspect at West Oakland Station at approximately 1pm in connection with a stabbing aboard an Antioch-bound Yellow line train,” the department said in a statement.
“Officers say Charles Johnson (date of birth 1/6/1999) of San Francisco stabbed a 25-year-old man with a cleaver-style knife as the victim ran away from Johnson on the train. Johnson attempted to flee with the victim’s backpack after exiting the train at West Oakland but officers apprehended him without incident. Officers recovered the weapon and the victim’s backpack,” the release added.
Johnson, who was on probation, was charged with robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The victim was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
James Temple, a journalist who was in the car with the suspect, spoke with Mission Local about the incident.
“Everyone started running through the cars, trying to get as much distance between themselves and this guy as possible,” Temple said, adding that people were cowering in their seats, “trying to get as close to the edges of the BART cars as possible.”
“I jumped out of the way once, and landed partially on a woman who was sitting,” he said, as the suspect paced back and forth in the aisle. “I was just trying to get away.”
As for San Franciscans, they just call this a “normal day” on BART:
normal day on BART
— Digital Duke Morgan (@SanFranDoorman) May 10, 2023
Just a normal day.
— Rusty Rose McGee (@RustyRoseMcGee1) May 11, 2023
Last time I rode BART was 2010. Why? Sat down by the window as was going to put my arm on the armrest. There between the armrest and the window a bundle of bloody needles with rubber band around them. That was enough and relatively speaking not too bad.
— ryan smith (@ryan_smith2929) May 10, 2023
Just in your head, James. SF has lower crime than Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood…
— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) May 10, 2023
SF is gone! Anyone that can leave the Bay Area should for their own safety, and don’t take public transit if you decide to stay!!! Unreal.
— TheSeattleCentrist (@ayemat) May 10, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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