Bodycam: Man with Scissors Lunges at San Francisco Police Officer

By Aldo Toledo

Source San Francisco Chronicle

The man injured by a police officer on Highway 101 in San Francisco earlier this month lunged at an officer with a pair of scissors before another officer shot him in the chest, according to new details of the incident released Friday.

The San Francisco Police Department gave new information during a town hall about the police shooting of Juan Antonio Serrato on Sept. 4 on Highway 101 near the Cesar Chavez street off-ramp. Police presented body-worn camera footage, surveillance footage and 911 call audio logs from the incident.

Serrato is listed in stable condition at a local hospital, police said.

Officials said the incident began when a San Francisco sheriff's deputy observed Serrato walking northbound on the freeway shoulder at about 11:08 a.m., though the exact chronology of the incident is still under investigation.

The deputy pulled over to make contact with the subject as San Francisco police were alerted to a person walking on the freeway holding a sharp object, police said. Police played three 911 calls from drivers reporting a man had jumped over a retaining wall and was walking on the freeway.

As a police officer arrived on the scene, they saw the sheriff's deputy walking up the off-ramp towards Serrato. An officer attempted to make contact with the person, saying to get off the highway because there are cars, according to body-worn camera footage shown during the town hall.

Serrato then can be seen starting to limp toward the officer while clenching the scissors and making downward stabbing motions, the footage showed. An officer identified as Michael Scott, who is assigned to Ingleside station, stood on the other side of the off-ramp barricade as Serrato lunged at the other officer.

After several warnings, Scott shot Serrato, who fell to the ground on his back, the footage shows. The officer then called out for Serrato to drop the weapon, and Serrato threw a pair of small scissors to the ground in front of the officers.

Police said they could not retrieve body-worn camera footage from Scott, but one clip showed him tending to Serrato's wounds on the side of the freeway.

Ingleside police station captain Gerald Newbeck said he is grateful that no officers or bystanders were hurt during the incident.

"The officers demonstrated remarkable courage under extremely challenging circumstances, exemplifying the core values of what it means to serve as a San Francisco police officer," Newbeck said.

Serrato has been charged with several felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a deadly weapon, and threats to a police officer, as well as several traffic-related violations.

The incident is still the subject of independent and ongoing investigations, including the SFPD investigative services detail, the SFPD internal affairs division, the San Francisco Department of police accountability and the District Attorney's independent investigations group.

"We recognize that are sworn duty as law enforcement officers is to honor and respect the sanctity of human life," said interim police chief Paul Yep. "We also know that as police officers, we are sometimes required to use force, including deadly force, in the performance of our duties."

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