S.F. public health boss: Hospital staff stopped stabbing, not sheriff

March 23, 2026 - 19:43

San Francisco's top public health official has directly contradicted the sheriff's department's narrative of a deadly stabbing at a city clinic, stating hospital employees—not law enforcement—ultimately stopped the attacker. The remarks came from Deputy Director Daniel Tsai during a private staff meeting addressing the tragic killing of a social worker last week.

Tsai detailed a critical failure in safety protocols, noting that the mandated panic alarm system failed to function during the attack. He revealed that the assailant was first subdued by clinic staff using chairs and other objects in a desperate attempt to intervene. According to his account, sheriff's deputies arrived after this initial struggle and the attacker had already been disarmed by the brave employees.

These statements stand in stark contrast to the sheriff's office initial report, which credited its deputies with disarming and detaining the suspect. The incident has sparked intense scrutiny of security measures and emergency response coordination at city-run health facilities. An internal investigation into the protocol failures is underway as the community mourns the loss of the dedicated social worker.