Police report that a 30-year-old man was stabbed with a kitchen knife Wednesday afternoon after defending a woman he saw being harassed outside of a grocery store near Folsom and 14th streets.
The man was eating while sitting in the grocery store’s parking lot around 4:30 p.m. when he saw a woman being approached and accosted by a man outside of the store. The suspect, 57-year-old Esteban Balmore Cruz, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and was being provocative with the woman, according to witness reports.
When the victim intervened, police report that the men engaged in a verbal altercation that quickly became physical — Cruz pushed the victim and stabbed him in his leg and arm using a kitchen knife.
Cruz then fled the scene but was apprehended by police at the intersection of 14th and Folsom streets. He was booked on charges of weapon violation and assault with a deadly weapon. The victim’s injuries were non-life threatening, and he was treated at a nearby hospital.
Robbery at Gunpoint
At 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, a 25 and a 24-year-old woman were robbed at gunpoint while walking along Capp and 17th streets. The women were unable to identify the man who approached them, but reported that he flashed a black handgun before demanding that the women handover their cell phones, keys, ID cards, and credit cards.
After retrieving the women’s belongings, the man fled on foot and was seen getting into a white van. No arrests have been made.
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.