San Francisco: Suspect attacks 'visibly disabled' man after yelling at Waymo
SAN FRANCISCO - Police are looking for a suspect who attacked a "visibly disabled" man, all while yelling at a Waymo earlier this month.
Police say around 1 a.m. on July 5, witnesses reported a person down in the 2300 block of Buchanan Street. The victim was a man suffering from life-threatening injuries including a fractured skull, and he was unconscious when the police arrived.
The victim provided the police a key piece for their investigation: he caught the entire incident on video. SFPD shared part of his video in search of the suspect.
Video shows the suspect, dressed in light blue jeans, a black jacket and baseball cap. The man appears with an Apple airpod visible in his ear and a tote bag slung over his arm throughout the video.
The suspect can be seen standing in front of a Waymo vehicle, apparently stopping it from moving forward.
"I wanna see it! C'mon Waymo! Gimme something to work with!" the suspect yells at the car.
As the man yells at the Waymo, the vehicle can be heard making a safety announcement. That's where the video cuts off.
Police say the victim, who was standing nearby recording, told the suspect that he should probably let the car leave. That's when police say the suspect lunged at the man, causing him to fall.
The victim was then assaulted on the ground, according to police. He suffered severe injuries, including a fractured skull. The victim was also identified as cognitively impaired and being "visibly disabled."
That was disturbing news to Sharon Giovinazzo, CEO of Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually impaired, a non-profit in San Francisco. She, herself, is also blind.
"We live our lives in the same way everyone else does," said Giovinazzo. "But there is a vulnerability there. Literally, you didn't see it coming or not knowing how to socially or appropriately handle a situation, is where the vulnerabilities come in."
This is not the first demonstration of taunts or attacks on an autonomous vehicle in San Francisco. Last year, people posted videos online of stopping a Cruise car in its tracks by simply placing a traffic cone on its hood.
In February, fireworks were thrown inside a Waymo car, causing it to combust into flames.
Tech journalist Ian Sherr says companies like Waymo, are still navigating how to earn complete trust from the communities they operate in.
"The truth is, no matter what the reason is, these companies need to figure out how to make their communities feel like they're being heard and that they are partners in this process," he said. "That's the safety conversation. The investment conversation."
The passenger of the Waymo has not yet been identified by police. Police are still searching for the suspect, who is described as 25-30 years old with a medium complexion and facial hair.
Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to reach out to SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.