Murder charges filed in beating death of 77-year-old man outside SF 7-Eleven

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco District Attorney on Friday felony charges against a 32-year-old man for an unprovoked attack outside a 7-Eleven that killed a 77-year-old man and injured another 70-year-old convenience store employee. 

Interim DA Brooke Jenkins charged Charles Short with 14 felony counts and several aggravating allegations including murder, elder abuse, mayhem, assault, battery, second-degree robbery, false imprisonment, preventing or dissuading a witness by force of threat, threats to executive officers, battery upon an officer, vandalism, and resisting and obstructing peace officers.

The charges stem from the beating death of Richard Owens Sr. on Nov. 1 outside the 7-Eleven in Visitacion Valley, which was caught on surveillance video.

Police said it was a random attack. 

Police said the incident started when Short approached a 26-year-old man who was waiting at the bus stop in front of the 7-Eleven.

The suspect pulled the 26-year-old into the convenience store and beat him. The suspect also attacked a 70-year-old employee and prevented the two victims from calling 911. He then approached Owens, which is when he is charged with beating him to death.  

On Thursday, KTVU spoke to the 70-year-old employee, Bob. 

Bob was left battered and bruised after the attack but said he felt lucky to be alive. 

Short is in custody without bail. 

Efforts to determine if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf were not immediately successful.