SF bakery owner says suspect who stabbed his employee also stabbed his father in 2016

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- We're learning new details about the man accused of stabbing an employee at a San Francisco Chinatown bakery earlier this week. His court appearance Wednesday has now been rescheduled for Thursday, in order to provide a court translator.

But Wednesday, we're learning about his previous connection to the bakery.

Fook Poy Lai, seen here in this photo, is accused of stabbing a female employee at AA bakery on Stockton Street on Monday morning.

A witness took the photo right after the attack. Police arrested him without a struggle.

According to court documents, Lai attacked the bakery employee just 10 days after he was released from jail.

ABC7 News talked to bakery owner Henry Chan by phone.

"I don't know why the city put him out 10 days ago," said Chan.

RELATED: SF Chinatown bakery stabbing suspect released on parole 10 days before attack, records show

Chan told ABC7News that according to police, Lai is the same man who stabbed Chan's father back in 2016 in Portsmouth Square. Hoodline published a report online about the 2016 attack.

Chan says his father was playing poker with friends in the park that day and that his father was seriously hurt.

"Very bad," said Chan. "I think 12 days in the hospital," said Chan.

Chan said he has never seen Lai, and that his father doesn't know Lai either.

"I did not know him," said Chan.

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Lai pled guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

"My hands are still shaking. This is how I feel," said customer David Lowe.

News of Monday's stabbing is disturbing to a lot of people in San Francisco's Chinatown.

According to the bakery owner, the employee stabbed had only been on the job for three days and was still training. She was critically injured.

Wednesday, we asked the DA about Lai's alleged attack just days after he was released on parole.

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"I'm horrified by the events that took place. We are taking this case very seriously. When we have someone who attempts to kill a resident in the past but now has apparently committed the same type of behavior, these are exactly the type of cases that concern us that we make sure we take a closer look at," said DA. Brooke Jenkins.

Jenkins said it was not her office's decision to release Lai. She says the California Department of Corrections released Lai on parole.

"My office was asked if we wanted to oppose his release back into San Francisco for his parole. And we did object. But he was still released here," said Jenkins.

Jenkins says she has filed a motion to detain Lai without bail.

Lai returns to court for his arraignment Thursday morning.

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