San Francisco

Police Arrest Suspect After Elderly Woman Assaulted in San Francisco

San Francisco police have arrested a suspect believed to be connected to an assault that left an 88-year-old woman with life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The suspect in the assault, which occurred on Jan. 8 in the city's Visitacion Valley neighborhood, has been identified as 18-year-old Keonte Gathron, police said Sunday.

The elderly woman suffered severe head injuries and was taken to a hospital following the attack, according to police. She is still being treated for life-threatening injuries.

"San Francisco Police Department investigators worked tirelessly to identify a suspect in this case," San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said in a statement. "This is an ongoing investigation and we will have further details to follow later in the week. But we want to express our gratitude to neighbors and leaders in the Visitacion Valley community who worked closely with our investigators to address this act of senseless violence."

Back on the morning of Jan. 8, police responded to a residence along the 1000 block of Visitacion Avenue and came across a witness who reported that they spotted an unknown male suspect leave the residence, police said.

Authorities soon found the injured elderly woman at a park across the street from the residence, according to police.

An investigation eventually unearthed evidence that connected the suspect who left the residence with the assault, police said. Authorities were also able to identify the suspect as Gathron.

Gathron was arrested Saturday evening after committing a robbery, according to police.

Despite the arrest, police are still asking anyone with information regarding the case to call 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the message with SFPD.

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