EXCLUSIVE: Felon on bail accused of stabbing security guard at SF Walgreens
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- New information is coming to light about a frightening daytime stabbing at a Walgreens store in San Francisco's Union Square.
ABC7 News has covered a number of issues involving the company, such as recent store closures, shoplifting, and assaults on employees.
This most recent incident involves a suspect who stabbed a security guard contracted by Walgreens to keep watch over the store, located at 135 Powell Street.
San Francisco police confirm they responded to a stabbing around 8:15 a.m. on July 1.
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According to sources, 61-year-old Carlos Sanders has a history of causing trouble at that store location. When the guard, who declined an interview with ABC7 News asked the man to leave, Sanders pulled out a kitchen knife.
Images obtained by ABC7 News show the knife's red sheath, which appears to be around four to six inches long.
Unlike many high-profile shoplifting incidents covered by ABC7 News in recent years where security often looks on without acting, the guard in Sanders' case attempted to defuse the situation using a Taser.
Jim Rita, CEO of SRS Protection, is a former California law enforcement official and currently has security teams in multiple states, including Nevada and Texas. His company is not providing security for this Walgreens location, but he weighed in on why the guard in this case was able to draw his Taser.
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"For just stealing goods, yeah the laws in California have changed over the years where most store owners don't allow security to put their hands on anybody." He continued on to commend the actions of the Walgreens guard, however, thought the threat to safety was great enough that the guard could have drawn his firearm.
"When someone pulls knife on a guard the guard has every right to protect himself or herself from great boldly injury and that also means pulling a firearm to stop that threat."
SFPD tells me Sanders was later arrested a few blocks away and booked on multiple charges, including attempted homicide and committing a felony while on bail.
ABC7 News spoke with a number of Walgreens employees at several stores who were not surprised by the stabbing, given how much crime there is on a daily basis. None agreed to an on-camera interview citing Walgreens policy.
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One employee told ABC7 he hoped safety would improve with the newly-appointed DA.
Brooke Jenkins addressed cases like these involving suspects like Sanders with long rap sheets when Mayor London Breed announced her appointment last week.
"Violent and repeat offenders will no longer be able to victimize our city without consequence," Jenkins said.
ABC7 News also asked Walgreens what they were doing to keep employees and guards safe.
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This is the statement ABC7 received:
"The safety of our patients, customers, and team members is our top priority. We are cooperating with local authorities in their investigation."
Sanders remains in custody and has his next court appearance on July 19.
The guard was treated at a local hospital and released.
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