S.F. police release video of 'savage’ killing of homeless man

In his 25 years at the San Francisco Police Department, Lt. Toney Chaplin says he has never seen a killing as brutal as the beating death of Tai Lam.

Police found the 67-year-old man dead Nov. 24 in his sleeping bag in an alcove at 137 Sutter St. in the Financial District. Lam — 5-foot-5, less than 100 pounds and homeless — had been viciously beaten by three suspects as he slept 5 feet away from the crutches he used to get around.

A team of investigators is now poring over hours of security video, canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and pleading with anyone who witnessed the killing, or knows the suspects, to come forward.

“Somebody saw them,” Chaplin said at a news conference Tuesday, during which officials released footage of the beating and of the suspects but withheld other video because it was considered too violent and graphic. “This is brutal in nature and all three had some involvement.”

Police said the attack came in two waves. The suspects, who appear to be young men who know each other, first came upon Lam around 11 p.m. on Nov. 23 — probably after they attended an event in the neighborhood, Chaplin said. Authorities did not identify the event, but described it as some sort of “flash mob.”

After smoking a cigarette near the Crocker Galleria close to where Lam slept, and briefly chatting with a security guard, the suspects, one who was tall and heavyset, set upon Lam. In a video released by police, one of the suspects can be seen kicking Lam as he cowered on the ground.

The men then walked away, only to return a short time later to unleash another barrage of blows on the defenseless man. The trio then walked away just before midnight, Chaplin said.

Lam did not immediately die. He suffered in the alcove for an unknown amount of time before authorities found his body the next morning, police said.

“This is one of the worst attacks I’ve ever seen,” said Sgt. John Cagney, another investigator working on the case. “Savage is the only way to describe it. All of us were really affected by this.”

Police do not know what, if anything, motivated the attack, which alarmed advocates for the homeless.

“It is incredibly vulnerable to sleep outside,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, who directs the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco and did not know Lam. “Homeless people say they have to sleep with one eye open. It’s really common for people to come into our office who have been severely beaten when they were sleeping.”

Friedenbach said homeless attack victims come into her office about once a week, but that the number of attacks on city streets is “definitely a lot higher.”

“Most of the people who are without housing are disabled and elderly, like Tai,” she said. “All these are vulnerable populations that are unable to defend themselves.”

San Francisco Police Inspector John Cagney, center, addresses the media as investigators, third from left, Sgt. Gary Watts, and Sgt. Carl Bonner stand behind him with Lt. Toney Chaplin at right during a press conference at the Hall of Justice Dec. 2, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. Police released a video of three people beating homeless man Tai Lam, 67, as he slept in his sleeping bag on the 100 block of Sutter street last Monday night. Lam died of his injuries after suffering for a while on the street after the attack. Investigators are calling the unprovoked attack one of the worst they've seen in years. less San Francisco Police Inspector John Cagney, center, addresses the media as investigators, third from left, Sgt. Gary Watts, and Sgt. Carl Bonner stand behind him with Lt. Toney Chaplin at right during a press ... more Photo: Leah Millis / The Chronicle Photo: Leah Millis / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close S.F. police release video of 'savage’ killing of homeless man 1 / 7 Back to Gallery

Investigators think the men who killed Lam may have ridden on Muni or BART before or after the attack and are working through hours of video, hoping to spot one of the assailants.

Police asked that anyone with information leave an anonymous tip at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky

Do you recognize these men?

To see video footage of the suspects in the killing of Tai Lam, and of the beating itself, go to http://bit.ly/1vjtkST. (Warning: violent content)