6:28 PM: The suspect in the fatal stabbing of a resident of San Francisco’s Excelsior District nearly two weeks ago is a 20-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia who lives just blocks away from the victim, police reports show.
Charlie Sekona, of San Francisco, was arrested Thursday afternoon for the fatal stabbing of 49-year-old Eric Buschman on Oct. 12, according to police.
Buschman was stabbed at about 7:40 p.m. while unloading his truck outside his home in the 300 block of Athens Street. He was returning home from a camping trip to Lake Shasta.
A motive for the attack is still unknown.
Sekona was identified as the suspect based on witness descriptions and other leads, police said.
The crime outraged residents of the district, who held a vigil in front of Buschman’s home days later, calling for a plan to halt violence in the area.
Buschman left behind a wife and daughter.
According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, Sekona was previously charged with misdemeanor theft in 2008 and misdemeanor battery in March of this year.
The battery involved an apparently unprovoked attack on a male employee at a Costco store in the South of Market District.
Sekona approached the employee as he was sweeping the front stairs and allegedly began punching him in the face, knocking the employee to the ground, according to a police report.
Sekona then ran into the store, where he was detained by other store employees.
According to the report, Sekona’s father told police his son has a history of psychiatric problems and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Sekona had been shopping in the store with his father when he walked away on his own. Sekona later told police that he did not hit anyone.
The battery case is still pending in court, district attorney’s office spokesman Brian Buckelew said. The theft charge was dismissed by the court in return for Sekona’s participation in a court-ordered mental health treatment program, he said.
Sekona lives in the 300 block of Excelsior Avenue, less than five blocks away from Buschman’s home.
Sekona’s murder case has not yet been presented to the district attorney’s office for charging, Buckelew said.
A memorial fund has been established for Buschman’s family. Donations can be sent to The Eric Buschman Memorial Fund, c/o First National Bank, 975 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
3:11 PM: San Francisco police have arrested a 20-year-old man for the Oct. 12 fatal stabbing of Excelsior District resident Eric Buschman outside the victim’s home.
Charlie Sekona, of San Francisco, was arrested in the city Thursday at 5 p.m., police Sgt. Wilfred Williams said today.
Buschman, 49, was stabbed that evening while unloading his truck outside his home in the 300 block of Athens Street.
A motive for the attack is still unknown, but Williams said it does not appear to have been gang related.
Sekona was identified as the suspect based on witness descriptions and “investigative leads,” police said. Witnesses described a “chubby” man, approximately of Sekona’s age, who was wearing a black hoodie and dark pants at the time of the attack.
The crime outraged residents of the district, who held a vigil in front of Buschman’s home days later, calling for a plan to halt violence in the area.
Buschman left behind a wife and daughter.
A memorial fund has been established for Buschman’s family.
Donations can be sent to The Eric Buschman Memorial Fund, c/o First National
Bank, 975 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
