Suspect arrested in assault on 2 Asian seniors in San Francisco's Market Street, police say

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A man is under arrest for unprovoked attacks on two elderly Asian victims near Market Street in San Francisco Wednesday, police said.

Police have identified the suspect as 39-year-old Steven Jenkins.

Witnesses told officers that Jenkins was involved in a physical altercation in U.N. Plaza approximately 30 minutes prior to the assaults. Following the altercation at U.N. Plaza, Jenkins approached the 83-year-old male victim and assaulted him, police said.

A security guard nearby pursued Jenkins on foot, and as Jenkins was fleeing, he assaulted the 75-year-old female victim. The guard was able to detain Jenkins until officers arrived. Both victims were taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

VIDEO: Asian American victim considers moving out of state after brutal attack in SF

After another attack on an Asian American in San Francisco, the East Bay victim, who was on a lunch break at work in the Financial District, is speaking out. He says the violence needs to stop and he no longer feels safe going to San Francisco.

Jenkins was transported to a local hospital for an unrelated, prior medical condition. Jenkins was later booked at San Francisco County Jail on two charges of assault likely to produce great bodily injury and two charges of elder abuse.

Police are investigating to determine if racial bias was a motivating factor in the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.

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