Police report a 21-year-old man sustained life-threatening injuries after driving his car into a fire hydrant, light pole, and bus stop early Saturday morning. The collision occurred on the northeast corner of the intersection of 16th and Harrison streets at 1:37 a.m. and the driver was transported to the hospital. Nobody else was injured.

Group Assault

Police report three men in their early 30s were approached by four men estimated to be in their mid 20s on Mission Street near 19th Street. The four men flashed gang signs with their hands and then began to punch and kick the three older men, making them to fall to the ground and one to lose consciousness.

The assailants then got into a car and fled. All three victims were transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Robbery with Shoelace Injures Victim

A 45-year-old man was calling a ride sharing service on 14th and Folsom streets at 2:40 a.m. on Sunday when a man approached him and asked him for a cigarette. A second man then placed a shoelace around the victim’s neck, choking him, and the first man punched the victim in the face.

The men took the victim’s wallet and cell phone, and the victim lost consciousness. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but no arrests were made.

Laptop Robbery

At 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, a 43-year-old man was working on his laptop inside a temple on 17th Street between Mission and Valencia streets when a man estimated to be between 18 and 20 years old came inside and created a commotion.

The man working got up to address the younger man, and when he turned back toward his desk, another man was standing there with a pair of scissors in his hand – and the laptop was gone. The suspects left, but the victim followed, demanding his laptop. One of the men then reached into the pocket with the scissors and told the victim to stop following. No arrest was made, and the victim was uninjured.

Robberies on Muni

Later on Wednesday, at 5:20 p.m., a 38-year-old man was waiting for the bus at 16th and Mission streets when a 37-year-old woman grabbed his phone and ran. The man caught up to the woman and pinned her to the ground, at which point three men interfered, pepper spraying the man before fleeing. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested the woman, while the man was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Two men, aged 20 and 40, approached a 31-year-old man on a bus just before 3 p.m. on Saturday, and asked the man if he was a gang member. The man said he wasn’t, at which point the youngest man pulled out a handgun and demanded the victim’s money. The victim complied and the men got off the bus at 24th and Mission streets. There, they were located by police officers, who took both men into custody.

Cell Phone Robber Robbed

At 2:35 a.m. on Saturday, October 29, two women in their 20s were arguing on 16th Street between Mission Street and South Van Ness Avenue when a third woman approached and grabbed the others’ cell phones.

A fourth woman, estimated to be in her 30s, then approached the phone thief and asked her if everything was okay – before grabbing the purse containing the phones and fleeing in a black four-door sedan with another man and woman. The woman who had originally taken the phones gave chase, but fell and suffered some abrasions. No arrests have been made.

E-Cigarette Robbery

A disagreement over an e-cigarette ended in an arrest Sunday morning. Around 12:30 a.m., a 25-year-old man was using a vaporizer on Hoff Street near 16th Street when he was approached by a 23-year-old man and his girlfriend. The younger man took the e-cigarette, but his girlfriend took it from him and returned it to its owner.

At that point the vape thief threatened to harm the victim, who now feared for his life and handed the e-cigarette over. The suspect and his girlfriend walked away. Shortly thereafter, officers arrived on the scene and arrested the robber, reporting that he resisted arrest, and returned the vaporizer to its owner.

Crime is trauma and the county offers different services. Here is a link to a page of services.

Victims of violent crime can also contact the Trauma Recovery Center at UCSF