27-05-2025
Suspect held in deadly Muni stabbing in Bayview
The Brief
A witness told KTVU the suspect had gotten into an argument with an older and younger man on the bus, took out a knife and stabbed the older man.
The suspect got off the bus but was arrested by police on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse.
The San Francisoc District Attorney's Office will review case.
San Francisco - A man was stabbed to death while riding a Muni bus in San Francisco's Bayview, the second stabbing on the transit system in the same neighborhood in two months.
The latest incident happened on a 9 San Bruno bus at Bayshore Boulevard and Cortland Avenue at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
A witness who didn't want to go on camera told KTVU the suspect had gotten into an argument with an older and younger man on the bus and took out a knife. Both men tried to stop him.
"And they held him down, hitting him with a belt buckle. The Latino guy happened to manage to get them both off, and from there that's when the knife came out," the witness said.
The younger man got off the bus, but the suspect realized the older man was still on board.
"And that's when the Latino (man), seeing that he was still sitting down when he actually grabbed the knife, just stabbed him right in his chest," he said.
The victim died at a hospital.
The suspect, Daniel Mendoza Garcia, 51, got off the bus but was arrested by police on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse.
"It's nonsense. It's a waste of life. And it's just at a hair's trigger," the witness said.
In a statement, Muni described the stabbing as a tragic and senseless act of violence.
"Our hearts are with the victim and their loved ones," the statement said in part. "Criminal activity of any kind will never be tolerated on Muni, and we are committed to keeping the safety of our riders and staff as our top priority."
Residents and Muni riders were shocked by the violence.
"Obviously it's sad," said Mike Minardi, who lives nearby. "We've had our issues in this area, but I feel like, you know, it has gotten a little better in some regards."
Temesghen Gebrezghi often takes two Muni lines to get to a recycling center near the crime scene.
"I feel worried because it's very sad for this guy, you know? We don't need that," Gebrezghi said.
Lydia Patubo is general manager of a garden center in the area. She said she's had issues with the proximity of the Muni bus shelter to her business, from public drunkenness to intruders.
"They come in and we've had to chase them out," Patubo said.
About seven or eight years ago, Patubo said she tried unsuccessfully to fight Muni's efforts to move the bus stop from a different corner to its current location.
"This bus stop is a hub for homeless people, it's a urinal, it attracts criminals. When this bus stop was across the street, it's perfect. We had no trouble," she said.
This is the second stabbing on Muni in the Bayview since March, when a teenage girl was stabbed on a Third Street light-rail vehicle. Two suspects were arrested in that case.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and
The Source
KTVU reporting, San Francisco police, Muni
