Ex-San Francisco Fire Commissioner Viciously Attacked by Pipe-Wielding Homeless Man Who’d Camped Outside His Mother’s House
‘I am committed to ensuring that the defendant is held accountable, so that we send the strongest message that violence like this is unacceptable,’ District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.
A San Francisco man is facing charges after attacking a former San Francisco fire commissioner, Don Carmignani, in the street with a metal pipe, leaving his victim seriously injured.
The alleged attacker, Garret Allen Doty, is shown in a video swinging a pipe at Mr. Carmignani before Mr. Carmignani flees. The suspect is then seen walking back into frame about 30 seconds later.
In a statement provided to KRON4, Mr. Carmignani said that the attacker was a homeless person who had set up an encampment in front of his mother’s home on the day of the attack.
Mr. Carmignani said that he called 911 that morning and reported that three people who were using drugs “had exhibited extremely aggressive behavior towards passerby.”
According to Mr. Carmignani, he asked the people to leave that evening and two of them advanced on him “in a threatening manner” before the suspect took up a pipe and swung it at Mr. Carmignani “countless” times.
“Sadly, I am not the first person to be victimized by these individuals, who are known criminals with a well-documented history of drug use, harassment of residents, and vandalism in the Marina,” Mr. Carmignani said in a statement. “I recently learned that the City has continued to allow two of my attackers to remain in the vicinity of the incident.”
Mr. Carmignani’s father said his son suffered a broken jaw, had 50 stitches on his face, and underwent surgery to have a piece of his skull removed after the attack.
The assailant is now facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury, and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury.
In a statement, the San Francisco district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, said that she understands “how a violent attack like this can shake a community and I am committed to ensuring that the defendant is held accountable, so that we send the strongest message that violence like this is unacceptable.”
“I am sending strength to the victim as he continues his recovery, and we will do everything in our power to seek justice for the victim and the community that has been traumatized,” Ms. Jenkins said.
