A man on Mission Street taunted a policeman today near the Mission plaza close to 16th Street, according to a policeman at the scene.
A witness told Mission Loc@l that the man walked out of a single-room occupancy hotel on Mission Street looking “high.” When two policemen walked by, the man began insulting one of them, the witness said.
The police officer pulled out his baton and waved it in front of the man, who persisted in insulting the officer. Meanwhile, another officer came from behind and quickly maced and handcuffed the man, the witness said. He described the man as about 6 feet, 2 inches tall.
Police had the man down, and emergency workers put a bag over his head because he kept spitting at the workers, two witnesses said. The workers poked two holes in the bag so the man could breathe. They also tied his legs with gauze because they could not stop him from kicking.
At nearly the same time this morning, a woman collapsed on Mission Street, apparently from a heart attack.
She was quickly transported to San Francisco General Hospital.
Headline should be “Policeman Threatened at 16th and Mission”
Maria: Yes, I think that is a better headline. Best, Lydia
You guys are off your rockers twisting this so that it’s the cops’ fault — and the Mission Local angle doesn’t help. The article mentions that he was under the influence. It does not mention what he was charged with yet, but the guy is obviously a ticking time bomb — spitting on and kicking people is assault. You should be thanking these cops for getting a 6’2″ nutcase off the street before he goes off on you when no cops are around. With this kind of thanks, no wonder the SF cops are surly.
I’m glad they got rid of this crazy fool. We have too many drugged out sociopaths in our neighborhood already.
The headline should read “Cops Attack Man for Talking.” This sounds to me like a case of contempt of cop. Ooh did the poor wittle officers have their feelings hurt? Sorry, cops, but when society entrusts you with weapons to keep the peace, the minimum job requirement is a thick skin. This should have been referred to the Mobile Assistance Patrol, which helps people who are drunk or high and out of control. No law enforcement was called for.
Wait a minute. . . they maced and handcuffed, and then bound the head and feet, of a man who *verbally* offended them? Seriously?! I’d kick and spit, and worse, if physically assaulted, too. This is an all around horrible story.
The SFPD should be taunted for a wide range of reasons, first and foremost their ongoing policy of containment of drug and mental illness crimes in the crescent running from the TL through SOMA and into the North Mission. There would not be street crime within 1 block of the 17th Street and Valencia cop shop if the SFPD did not want it to be there. The notion that taunting cops should result in mace or drawing of truncheons is an offense to the constitution and our basic civil rights.
Okay I have to know, is that photo of the ‘aggressor’ who taunted policemen getting a beat down, or is that the woman having a heart attack receiving help?
Just another day in our quirky little neighborhood.