UPDATE: 1/20/2023 12:15 P.M. PST: Collier Gwin was arrested Wednesday on a misdemeanor battery assault charge after spraying a homeless person with a hose. San Francisco District Attorney, Brooke Jenkins, said in a statement following the arrest:
“Following the San Francisco Police Department‘s investigation and reviewing all the evidence provided, my office has issued an arrest warrant for Collier Gwin. Gwin will be charged with misdemeanor battery for the alleged intentional and unlawful spraying of water on and around a woman experiencing homelessness on January 9, 2022. The alleged battery of an unhoused member of our community is completely unacceptable. Mr. Gwin will face appropriate consequences for his actions.”
However, she added:
“Likewise, the vandalism at Foster Gwin Gallery is also completely unacceptable and must stop — two wrongs do not make a right.”
The community has since rallied against the gallery owner — Alex Sakiyama, a resident in the area of the dispute, told ABC7 Thursday of the unhoused person (who identifies as male):
“I thought it was really disturbing. I think it’s not okay no matter how bothered you are in any given situation. I think it’s not okay to spray water at someone. [He] was often naked sleeping here, [he] would stay around here, yeah. I don’t know if it was bad enough to attack [him].”
Many local residents echoed Sakiyama’s sentiment, while claiming to not have seen the unhoused person since the incident.
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A San Francisco shop owner is the subject of online outrage after he was seen nonchalantly hosing down person experiencing homelessness out in the cold.
The footage, which was first posted to TikTok by Edson Garcia, owner of Brioche Bakery & Cafe, on Monday shows Collier Gwin arguing with the unnamed individual, before spraying him with a garden hose on the sidewalk outside of the Foster Gwin Gallery. Larry Maroney, a construction worker near the scene saw what happened, and quickly intervened. He told KNTV:
“I see a guy hosing the [person] down and I thought it was not right. So I went over to say, ‘what’s up?’ because I was going to take the hose and spray him.”
The victim, who identifies as male, according to San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott, can be seen trying to block the spray of water, which we can only assume was chilly considering it was an outdoor house.
Gwin later spoke with the outlet, explaining that he, and the rest of the block, have a history with the individual:
“The whole neighborhood is a part of this situation. The police force is a part of this situation. The city and the social services is a part of the situation. There have been repeated attempts to try to help this [person] who is psychotic.”
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He expressed sympathy for the man’s situation, but noted he’s called the police and city social services multiple times when the person allegedly becomes disruptive:
“There’s absolutely nothing that can be done. They’ll take [him] to a shelter, and they will turn [him] out in two days. They will take [him] to the hospital, they will release [him] within a day.”
However, Garcia, the original poster of the video, made conflicting claims:
“OK, that [man] doesn’t go inside the businesses. [He] sleeps on the street, but [he’s] very calm, yeah. I was putting quarters on the parking meter right now and [he] was passing by.”
Maroney told the outlet:
“I can understand both parties. I feel sorry for the tenant, I feel sorry for the [man]. But the police had come out one time and he said there’s nothing they can do.”
Police Chief Scott claimed the victim chose not to pursue charges, but noted, “an investigation is happening.” Gwin, later told KPIX in an interview:
“I’m very, very sorry, I’m not going to defend myself, I’m not going to, because I can’t defend that.”
See more (below):
Seems pretty heartless if you ask us!
[Images via ABC7/YouTube]
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