SF teen who beat 88-year-old woman went on crime spree, police say

San Francisco Police officials release a booking mug of Keonte Gathron, 18, who under arrest for the severe beating of 88-year-old Yik Oi Huang, during a news conference at police headquarters in San Francisco, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. less San Francisco Police officials release a booking mug of Keonte Gathron, 18, who under arrest for the severe beating of 88-year-old Yik Oi Huang, during a news conference at police headquarters in San Francisco, ... more Photo: SFPD Buy photo Photo: SFPD Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close SF teen who beat 88-year-old woman went on crime spree, police say 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

An 18-year-old man accused of brutally beating an 88-year-old woman this month in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley neighborhood went on a crime spree in the weeks following the attack, police said Wednesday.

Keonte Gathron, a San Francisco resident, was arrested Saturday after he committed a carjacking at gunpoint and robbed two teens of their phones, police said at a news conference attended by Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee and Police Chief Bill Scott.

“His actions speak to somebody that doesn’t value human life very much,” Scott said.

Gathron allegedly beat 88-year-old Yik Oi Huang on Jan. 8 at a Visitacion Valley playground she regularly visited in the morning to exercise. Police said he went on to burglarize her home across the street until a witness came upon the scene, prompting him to flee.

As of Wednesday, Huang remained in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital. A GoFundMe page for her medical care has raised more than $14,000.

Eight days after the vicious attack, police received a report of a man robbed of his car at gunpoint on Jan. 16 on the 1600 block of Visitacion Avenue, just six blocks from Huang’s residence. A San Francisco sheriff’s deputy found the abandoned car nine hours later at a gas station on San Bruno Avenue, said Cmdr. Greg McEachern, of the San Francisco Police Department.

Crime lab detectives used DNA evidence to link Gathron to the carjacking and subsequent crimes, Scott said. Police on Wednesday declined to offer additional information about his criminal record beyond noting he had been arrested as a juvenile.

“He has had prior contact with law enforcement,” Scott said.

Three days after the carjacking, Gathron allegedly robbed two teenagers of their phones in San Francisco. He biked up to a 14-year-old girl around 4:45 p.m. Saturday as she walked down the 100 block of Woolsey Street and robbed her of her cell phone at gunpoint, police said.

An hour later, Gathron allegedly rode up to a 17-year-old girl near Belle and St. Charles avenues and punched her in the face before fleeing with her iPhone.

Investigators traced one of the phones back to a residence in San Francisco’s Sunnydale neighborhood, where they found Gathron. He fled on foot but shortly thereafter was taken into custody by police, McEachern said.

Yee said Visitacion Valley residents are relieved the suspect in Huang’s attack was arrested, but there’s still apprehension that violent crimes will continue in the neighborhood.

“They’re still afraid it might happen again,” he said.

The supervisor called on police to allocate more officers to the southeast quadrant of San Francisco and install more surveillance cameras for the area.

Rex Tabora, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Community Center, echoed Yee’s request for a greater police presence. The center is located three blocks from Huang’s home and the playground.

“Some crimes like this go unsolved,” Tabora said.

Gathron was booked into San Francisco County Jail on 12 counts, including attempted murder, elder abuse and robbery. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday at the Hall of Justice.

Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@

sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu