A San Francisco man was arrested after reportedly stabbing two women Tuesday in what police are calling a random attack.
Witnesses say a man walked up behind the two Asian American seniors, ages 85 and 65, who were waiting for a bus in the area of 4th and Stockton streets around 4:51 p.m., and stabbed them.
The suspect slashed one woman across the back and elbow and stabbed the other in the arm through to the chest, Supervisor Matt Haney said.
That woman needed surgery to treat her injuries.
After the stabbing, police searched a fenced area for a weapon. Officers were able to get a picture of the suspect from cameras in the area and arrested him on the 600 block of Eddy St. about two hours after the stabbing. The 54-year-old’s charges are pending.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox.> Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Officers are not calling this a hate crime, but say they have not ruled it out.
In a tweet Tuesday night, Haney called it a "disgusting and horrific attack."
Tuesday's stabbings occurred amid an increase in hate crimes and attacks on people of Asian descent that has left some communities on edge, including in San Francisco.
San Francisco police in March said they would increase patrols in predominantly Asian neighborhoods, following what it called "an alarming spike in brazen anti-Asian violence in recent weeks."
U.S. & World
Anyone with information on this latest attack is asked to call SFPD's tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the text message with SFPD.
