Charges upgraded to murder against suspect in hospital stabbing of San Francisco social worker
Charges have been upgraded to murder against a man who allegedly attacked and repeatedly stabbed a social worker last week inside a San Francisco hospital after first allegedly threatening a doctor, according to prosecutors.
The charges against Wilfredo Jose Tortolero Arriechi, 34, were amended from attempted murder to murder on Monday after the victim, identified by the San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner's Office as 51-year-old Alberto Rangel, died on Saturday.
Rangel died two days after he was stabbed repeatedly inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
Arriechi was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday at San Francisco's Hall of Justice, but the hearing was postponed because the suspect remains hospitalized and under psychiatric evaluation, officials said.
The attack unfolded around 1:39 p.m. local time on Thursday in the hospital's Ward 86, which, according to the medical facility's website, is an HIV/AIDS clinic on the facility's sixth floor.
Before the attack, a sheriff's deputy was called to the hospital after the suspect, who was at the hospital for a scheduled appointment, allegedly threatened a doctor, according to an earlier sheriff's department statement.
"While providing security for the doctor, our sheriff’s deputy heard a disturbance unfolding in the hallway involving the suspect, who was attacking a social worker," according to the sheriff's office statement. "The deputy intervened immediately, restraining the suspect and securing the scene."
The District Attorney's Office released new details about the attack on Monday, alleging Arriechi went to the hospital with a concealed knife.
"Allegedly Mr. Tortolero Arriechi appeared calm and engaged in a in a conversation with a social worker and was advised to leave. Allegedly he and the victim walked to the elevator together when he suddenly grabbed the victim from behind and stabbed him numerous times," the District Attorney's Office said in their statement.
The victim, according to he sheriff's office, suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck and shoulder.
A five-inch kitchen knife believed to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.
UPTE-CWA 9119, the union representing professional and technical employees at the University of California, released a statement on social media Saturday, demanding a "full investigation and reliable, consistent, and transparent safety protocols that ensure every worker comes home safely at the end of their shift."
"We at UPTE-CWA 9119 are devastated to learn of the death of a remarkable, compassionate, and dedicated social worker, who was beloved by their family, friends, colleagues, and fellow union members," Dan Russell, UPTE president, said in the statement.
The San Francisco Deputy Sheriff's Association union also released a statement, criticizing the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH), which runs the hospital, for recently reducing the number of deputy sheriffs assigned to the hospital and shifting to a "response-only" security model.
"This was not a random unforeseeable incident," Ken Lomba, president of the deputy sheriff's union, said in a statement.
Lomba added that the hospital's own data shows "years of serious assaults and weapons on campus."
In a statement to ABC News on Sunday, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said, "Keeping our staff, patients, and community safe is our highest priority."
DPH said it has taken steps to bolster security at the hospital, including adding more security officers, limiting access points and speeding up the installation of weapons detection systems.
"We are also conducting a full investigation and are committed to making both immediate and long-term safety improvements at all our facilities," DPH said. "This tragic event underscores the urgency of our ongoing efforts to strengthen protections for every member of our workforce."
The agency added, "We are committed to doing everything necessary to ensure that no one fears for their safety while providing care to the people of San Francisco.
